Black Arrow Cyber Threat Briefing 07 July 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

• Cyber Attacks Against Mobile Devices Growing Fast

A rise in mobile-powered businesses is creating vulnerability gaps that are being exploited by cyber criminals and nation-states, according to a new report. 43% of all compromised devices were fully exploited, not just jailbroken or rooted, which is an increase of 187% year-over-year.  The report found that the average user is 6 to 10 times more likely to fall for an SMS phishing attack than an email based attack.

It was also found that there was a 138% increase in critical Android vulnerabilities discovered in 2022, while Apple iOS accounted for 80% of the zero-day vulnerabilities actively being exploited in the wild. With malware increasingly spreading through legitimate channels, such as official marketplaces and ads in popular apps. This is true for both scam apps and dangerous mobile banking malware. For organisations, no matter if they are corporate-owned or part of a BYOD strategy, the need to implement appropriate security controls, and educate end-users about potential threats, is critical.

https://www.msspalert.com/cybersecurity-services-and-products/mobile/cyber-attacks-against-mobile-devices-growing-fast/

https://www.darkreading.com/endpoint/mobile-cyberattacks-soar-andoird-users

• One Third of Security Breaches Go Unnoticed by Security Professionals

While surface-level confidence around hybrid cloud security is high, with 94% of global respondents stating their security tools and processes provide them with complete visibility and insights into their IT infrastructure, the reality is nearly one third of security breaches are not spotted by IT and security professionals, according to a recent report.

The report highlighted that 50% of IT and security leaders lack confidence when it comes to knowing where their most sensitive data is stored and how it is secured. The issue is that 31% of breaches are being identified later down the line, rather than pre-emptively using security and observability tools either by data appearing on the dark web, files becoming inaccessible, or users experiencing slow application performance (likely due to DoS or inflight exfiltration). This number rises to 48% in the US, and 52% in Australia.

https://www.helpnetsecurity.com/2023/07/03/hybrid-cloud-security-breaches/

• Cyber Security Experts Have Become Targets for Board Seats

The need for strong cyber security programs is a vital part of doing business today, and a good reflection of that is adding security executives to Boards. The trend is for chief information security officers (CISOs) to be elevated to the board of directors, as risk and regulatory compliance become more visible in an organisation, many of the initiatives and controls will be security related, addressing those controls usually falls to the CISO.

The research also showed that 90% of public companies lack even one qualified cyber expert, showing a significant cyber board supply-demand gap. With only 15% of CISOs have broader traits required for board level positions, such as a holistic understanding of the business, a global perspective and ability to navigate a range of stakeholders, with another 33% having a subset of those necessary traits.

CISOs are hard to come by and few have the requisite Board level experience. To fill this gap Black Arrow provide a virtual CISO (vCISO) where you get a whole team of highly skilled and experienced professionals for less than you would pay for one permanent resource, and firms can also take advantage of Black Arrow’s Cyber NED, incorporating Board, Governance, Finance, HR and Risk experience with specialist cyber expertise and experience.

https://www.cnbc.com/2023/07/03/cybersecurity-experts-have-become-targets-for-board-seats.html

• Phishing Attack Prevention as Email Attacks Surge Over 450%

A Recent report found that email attacks had surged 464% this year compared to the previous year as phishing attacks remain amongst the most used tactics by attackers due to their high success rate and the ease in which they can be conducted. For preventing such attacks, the following principles will help mitigate: not clicking on unknown links, not trusting unknown sites, enabling multi-factor authentication, hardly disclosing personal information and having increased phishing awareness.

In an organisation, such awareness and principles can be highlighted and continually reinforced through having an effective awareness training programme. This in turn, will help to create a cyber aware culture and reduce the risk of someone in the organisation falling victim to phishing.

https://cybersecuritynews.com/phishing-attack-prevention-checklist/

https://www.msspalert.com/cybersecurity-research/email-cyberattacks-spiked-nearly-500-in-first-half-of-2023-acronis-reports/

• Outsmarting Business Email Compromise (BEC) Scammers

Last year the FBI registered over 21,000 complaints about business email fraud, with adjusted losses of over $2.7 billion. Today this line of attack shows no sign of slowing down. Business email compromise (BEC) techniques are increasingly sophisticated and cyber crime-as-a-service (CaaS) along with AI have lowered the barrier to entry for threat actors.

There are six key elements which can help to mitigate the impact of BEC, these are; inbox protection, strong authentication, secure emails, zero-trust control, secure payment processes and education. Putting the brakes on this con game takes the entire organisation, from the C-suite and IT, compliance, and risk management teams to every business unit. Awareness, backed by policy and technology, is the crucial factor in a consistently strong defence.

https://www.darkreading.com/microsoft/6-steps-to-outsmarting-business-email-compromise-scammers

• Small Organisations Face Security Threats on a Limited Budget

Small organisations face the same security threats as larger organisations overall but have less resources to address them. The most common security incidents faced are phishing, ransomware, and user account compromise also known as business email compromise (BEC). However, smaller organisations usually have fewer resources and experience with which to address security threats. Indeed, lack of budget is their top security challenge, reported by one in two small companies.

The lack of budget won’t stop a threat actor from attacking however, and so small organisations need to be able to effectively identify, prioritise and mitigate against security incidents. This may require small organisations outsourcing some of their cyber strategy, to allow them access to expertise.

https://www.helpnetsecurity.com/2023/07/05/small-organizations-security-threats/

• Cloud Security: Sometimes the Risks May Outweigh the Rewards

Threat actors are well-aware of the vulnerabilities in the cloud infrastructure. IT teams and decision-leadersmakers must have a clear understanding of the types of cloud services and the associated risk of cyber attacks associated. Around two in five (39%) businesses experienced a data breach in their cloud environment in 2022, a rise of 4% compared with 2021, a new report has found. The leading cause of cloud data breaches was human error, at 55%, according to the report. This was significantly above the next highest factor identified by respondents (21%), which was exploitation of vulnerabilities.

Other issues can arise from the cloud as it gives organisations the opportunity to create large amounts of infrastructure quickly and easily, which leaves it exposed to the possibility of substandard security configurations being applied to it. Due to the ease of use of cloud services, companies might become negligent in terms of their security.

https://cyber-reports.com/2023/07/03/cloud-security-sometimes-the-risks-may-outweigh-the-rewards/

https://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/news/human-error-cloud-data-breaches/

• Cl0p's MOVEit Campaign Represents a New Era in Cyber Attacks

A number of organisations impacted by the mass hacks exploiting a security flaw in the MOVEit file transfer tool, including energy giant Shell and US-based First Merchants Bank, have confirmed that hackers accessed sensitive data. The ransomware group shows an evolution of its tactics with the MOVEit zero-day, potentially ushering in a new normal when it comes to extortion supply chain cyber attacks, experts say.

From what the industry has seen in recent Cl0p breaches, GoAnywhere, MFT and MOVEit, they have not executed ransomware to encrypt data within the target environments. The operations have strictly been exfiltrating data and using that stolen information for later blackmail and extortion. The MOVEit vulnerability isn't an easy or straightforward one, it required extensive research into the MOVEit platform to discover, understand, and exploit this vulnerability. The skill set required to uncover and exploit this vulnerability isn't easily learned and is hard to come by in the industry. This operation isn't something Cl0p ransomware group usually does, which is another clue leading to suspect Cl0p acquired the MOVEit zero-day vulnerability rather than developing it from scratch. Something future groups may decide to adopt.

https://www.darkreading.com/attacks-breaches/c10p-moveit-campaign-new-era-cyberattacks

https://techcrunch.com/2023/07/06/more-organizations-confirm-moveit-related-breaches-as-hackers-claim-to-publish-stolen-data

• 75% of Consumers Prepared to Ditch Brands Hit by Ransomware

As 40% of consumers harbour scepticism regarding organisations’ data protection capabilities, 75% would shift to alternate companies following a ransomware attack a recent report found. Furthermore, consumers request increased data protection from vendors, with 55% favouring companies with comprehensive data protection measures such as reliable backup and recovery, password protection, and identity and access management strategies.

While 37% of Gen Z prefers an apology from companies experiencing a ransomware attack, ranking 12% higher than monetary compensation, Baby Boomers are less forgiving. 74% of them agree their trust in the vendor is irreparably damaged after suffering more than one ransomware attack, compared to only 34% of Gen Z.

https://www.helpnetsecurity.com/2023/07/05/consumers-data-protection-request/

• Scammers Using AI Voice Technology to Commit Crimes

The usage of platforms like Cash App, Zelle, and Venmo for peer-to-peer payments has experienced a significant surge, with scams increasing by over 58%. Additionally, there has been a corresponding rise of 44% in scams stemming from the theft of personal documents according to a recent report.

The report also highlights the rise of AI voice scams as a significant trend in 2023. AI voice technology enables scammers to create remarkably realistic voices and convincingly imitate family members, friends and other trusted individuals. With just a short voice clip usually taken from social media, a scammer can clone a loved one’s voice and call a victim pretending to be that person. The scammer deceives the victim into thinking their loved one is in distress to get them to send money, provide personal information or perform other actions. AI voice technology has gotten to the point where a mother can’t tell the difference between her child’s voice and a machine, and scammers have pounced on this to commit crimes.

https://www.helpnetsecurity.com/2023/07/07/ai-voice-cloning-scams/

• What are the Causes of Data Loss and What it the Impact on Your Organisation?

In today’s digital age, data has become the lifeblood of organisations, driving critical decision-making, improving operational efficiency, and allowing for smoother innovation. Simply put, businesses heavily rely on data. In an era where data has become the cornerstone of business operations, the loss of vital information can result in severe setbacks and irreparable damage. Whether it’s due to accidental deletion, hardware failure, cyber-attacks, or natural disasters, the loss of valuable data can have devastating impacts on an organisation.

It's imperative that businesses understand different types of data (structured, unstructured, semi-structured, metadata) and deploy tailored protection strategies. A significant 26% of companies suffered data loss in 2022, underlining the need for robust data security measures like regular backups, cyber security protocols, employee training, and data encryption. Effective data loss prevention can shield organisations from severe impacts like intellectual property theft, operation disruption, and legal repercussions.

https://securityaffairs.com/148086/security/impacts-of-data-loss.html

• Ransomware Affiliates, Triple Extortion, and the Dark Web Ecosystem

Many people associate the dark web with drugs, crime, and leaked credentials, but in recent years the dark web has emerged as a complex and interdependent cyber crime ecosystem, exemplified by the increasingly complex methods used to extort companies.

One of the more recent trends we see is that groups are now setting up infrastructure, in some cases outsourcing actual infection (and in some cases negotiation) to “affiliates” who effectively act as contractors to the Ransomware as a Service (RaaS) group and split the profits at the end of a successful attacks. The world of cyber crime is ever-evolving and it is no easy task to stay on top of the changing landscape.

https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/ransomware-affiliates-triple-extortion-and-the-dark-web-ecosystem/

---

Governance, Risk and Compliance

• Cyber Security experts have become targets for board seats (cnbc.com)

• The Impacts of Data Loss on Your Organisation -Security Affairs

• One third of security breaches go unnoticed by security professionals - Help Net Security

• Small organisations face security threats on a limited budget - Help Net Security

• How to cultivate a culture of continuous cyber Security improvement - Help Net Security

• CISOs Find 'Business as Usual' Shows the Harsh Realities of Cyber-Risk (darkreading.com)

• Mitigate Top 5 Common Cyber Security Vulnerabilities (trendmicro.com)

• Cyber Security's Future Hinges on Stronger Public-Private Partnerships (darkreading.com)

• Center for Internet Security, CREST launch new enterprise cyber Security accreditation scheme | CSO Online

---

Threats

Ransomware, Extortion and Destructive Attacks

• 75% of consumers prepared to ditch brands hit by ransomware - Help Net Security

• More organisations confirm MOVEit-related breaches as hackers claim to publish stolen data | TechCrunch

• More than 16 million people and counting have had data exposed in MOVEit breaches (therecord.media)

• Cl0p's MOVEit Campaign Represents a New Era in Cyber Attacks (darkreading.com)

• Encryption-less ransomware: Warning issued over emerging attack method for threat actors | ITPro

• Malvertising: A stealthy precursor to infostealers and ransomware attacks (malwarebytes.com)

• 8Base ransomware group leaks data of 67 victim organisations - Help Net Security

• Cyber Security Awareness Training to Fight Ransomware (trendmicro.com)

• Ransomware Affiliates, Triple Extortion, and the Dark Web Ecosystem (bleepingcomputer.com)

• BlackCat Operators Distributing Ransomware Disguised as WinSCP via Malvertising (thehackernews.com)

• Seven ways to prepare for double extortion ransomware | SC Media (scmagazine.com)

• The rise in cyber extortion attacks and its impact on business security - Help Net Security

• University of California sues Lloyd’s of London in cyber insurance dispute | CSO Online

• Ransomware Criminals Are Dumping Kids' Private Files Online After School Hacks - SecurityWeek

• Microsoft Can Fix Ransomware Tomorrow (darkreading.com)

• Ransomware accounts for 54% of cyber threats in the health sector- Security Affairs

• Avast released a free decryptor for Windows version of Akira ransomware- Security Affairs

• Dark Web Intelligence Shows Everest Ransomware Group Increasing Initial Access Broker Activity (yahoo.com)

• FIS Global Data Breach: Cyber Attack On FIS Global Follows MOVEit Mayhem (thecyberexpress.com)

• Thirty-three US Hospitals Hit By Ransomware This Year - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• How ransomware impacts the healthcare industry - Help Net Security

• Zero to Full Domain Admin: The Real-World Story of a Ransomware Attack – Joseph Carson – ESW Vault | SC Media (scmagazine.com)

• June saw flurry of ransomware attacks on education sector | TechTarget

• Decryption tool for Akira ransomware available for free | Tripwire

• Japanese Port of Nagoya Resumes Operations After 2-Day Russian Ransomware Attack - MSSP Alert

• What is WannaCry Ransomware? | Definition from TechTarget

• FBI digital sting against Hive cyber Crime group shows the promise — and limits — of hacking hackers - POLITICO

Ransomware Victims

• More organisations confirm MOVEit-related breaches as hackers claim to publish stolen data | TechCrunch

• One million NHS patients’ data compromised after cyber Attack on University of Manchester | The Independent

• Shell Confirms MOVEit-Related Breach After Ransomware Group Leaks Data - SecurityWeek

• Dublin airport staff’s pay and benefits compromised in cyber attack (thetimes.co.uk)

• Hackers Claim $70 Million Ransomware Attack on TSMC, Hits Supplier Instead | Tom's Hardware (tomshardware.com)

• Japan’s largest port stops operations after ransomware attack (bleepingcomputer.com)

• TSMC says IT supplier extorted by LockBit • The Register

• Russians may have hacked NHS trust with 2.5 million patients (telegraph.co.uk)

• More than 16 million people and counting have had data exposed in MOVEit breaches (therecord.media)

• 8Base ransomware group leaks data of 67 victim organisations - Help Net Security

• Dublin airport staff’s pay and benefits compromised in cyber attack (thetimes.co.uk)

• FIS Global Data Breach: Cyber Attack On FIS Global Follows MOVEit Mayhem (thecyberexpress.com)

• TSMC says IT supplier extorted by LockBit • The Register

• MOVEit Hacks Ensnare US Department of Health and Human Services - Bloomberg

• UCLA among victims of worldwide cyber attack – NBC Los Angeles

• BlackCat Hacking Gang Says It Stole Data from UK's Barts Health NHS Trust - Bloomberg

• Chipmaker TSMC says supplier targeted in cyber Attack | Reuters

• MOVEit hack impacts US financial services provider for academics | SC Media (scmagazine.com)

Phishing & Email Based Attacks

• Suspicious Email Reports Up a Third as NCSC Trumpets Active Defence - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Email Cyber Attacks Spiked Nearly 500% in First Half of 2023, Acronis Reports - MSSP Alert

• Phishing Attack Prevention Checklist - A Detailed Guide (cybersecuritynews.com)

• Phishing Trends and Tactics: Q1 of 2023 | Tripwire

• African Nations Face Escalating Phishing & Compromised Password Cyber Attacks (darkreading.com)

BEC – Business Email Compromise

• 6 Steps To Outsmart Business Email Compromise Scammers (darkreading.com)

Other Social Engineering; Smishing, Vishing, etc

• Quishing on the rise: How to prevent QR code phishing | TechTarget

• Why cyberpsychology is such an important part of effective cyber Security | CSO Online

Artificial Intelligence

• AI’s rise is ‘most profound’ tech shift to impact ‘all of our lives’, Google UK chief says | The Independent

• Microsoft, OpenAI sued for ChatGPT 'privacy violations' • The Register

• Cyber Criminals can break voice authentication with 99% success rate - Help Net Security

• Dutch counterterrorism agency says Generative AI is posing new cyber threats | NL Times

• AI-generated attack vectors cyber Security should watch for (fastcompany.com)

• The EU hasn’t got its AI Act together yet - The Verge

• OpenAI Pauses ChatGPT's 'Browse With Bing' as Users Bypass Paywalls (gizmodo.com)

• Promoting responsible AI: Balancing innovation and regulation - Help Net Security

• GPT-4 is great at infuriating telemarketing scammers • The Register

• UK Citizens Wary of NHS AI Use, Citing Privacy Concerns - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• 3 Reasons SaaS Security is the Imperative First Step to Ensuring Secure AI Usage (thehackernews.com)

Malware

• Microsoft Teams Exploit Tool Auto-Delivers Malware (darkreading.com)

• Meduza Stealer Targets Windows Users With Advanced Tactics - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Fileless attacks increase 1,400% - Help Net Security

• Experts detected a new variant of RUSTBUCKET macOS malware- Security Affairs

• Researchers Uncover New Linux Kernel 'StackRot' Privilege Escalation Vulnerability (thehackernews.com)

• Iranian Hackers' Sophisticated Malware Targets Windows and macOS Users (thehackernews.com)

• Cyber agencies warn of new TrueBot malware variants targeting US and Canadian firms (therecord.media)

• CISA: Truebot malware infecting networks in US, Canada | TechTarget

• Mockingjay - A New Injection Technique to Bypass EDR (cybersecuritynews.com)

• Malvertising: A stealthy precursor to infostealers and ransomware attacks (malwarebytes.com)

• Mexican Hacker Unleashes Android Malware on Global Banks - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

Mobile

• Android Security Updates Patch 3 Exploited Vulnerabilities - SecurityWeek

• Samsung Phone Flaws Added to CISA 'Must Patch' List Likely Exploited by Spyware Vendor - SecurityWeek

• Mobile Cyber Attacks Soar, Especially Against Android Users (darkreading.com)

• Android users at risk as banking trojan targets more apps | Fox News

• Cyber Attacks Against Mobile Devices Growing Fast - MSSP Alert

• We can’t trust the Government to protect your privacy, says boss of Signal (telegraph.co.uk)

• 83% of Brits Demand Messaging Apps Remain Private, Ahead of Threat From Online Safety Bill (darkreading.com)

• Apps with 1.5M installs on Google Play send your data to China (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Mexican Hacker Unleashes Android Malware on Global Banks - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

Botnets

• Twitter's bot spam keeps getting worse — it's about porn this time (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Botnets Send Exploits Within Days to Weeks After Published PoC (darkreading.com)

Denial of Service/DoS/DDOS

• CISA issues DDoS warning after attacks hit multiple US orgs (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Russian Hacktivist Platform 'DDoSia' Grows Exponentially (darkreading.com)

• Surviving the 800 Gbps Storm: Gain Insights from Gcore's 2023 DDoS Attack Statistics (thehackernews.com)

Data Breaches/Leaks

• More organisations confirm MOVEit-related breaches as hackers claim to publish stolen data | TechCrunch

• FIS Global Data Breach: Cyber Attack On FIS Global Follows MOVEit Mayhem (thecyberexpress.com)

• Microsoft denies data breach, theft of 30 million customer accounts (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Capita’s own pension scheme suffered data breach in March hack | Financial Times (ft.com)Russians may have hacked NHS trust with 2.5 million patients (telegraph.co.uk)

• Cyber Attacks and Data Breaches in Review: June 2023 - IT Governance Blog En

• The Impacts of Data Loss on Your Organisation- Security Affairs

• Secrets, Secrets Are No Fun. Secrets, Secrets (Stored in Plain Text Files) Hurt Someone (thehackernews.com)

• Report Reveals Companies Unprepared For Darknet Data Leaks - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Nickelodeon investigates breach after leak of 'decades old’ data (bleepingcomputer.com)

• OpenAI lawsuit reignites privacy debate over data scraping | CyberScoop

• 28,000 Impacted by Data Breach at Pepsi Bottling Ventures - SecurityWeek

Organised Crime & Criminal Actors

• Exploring the Dark Web Job Market (socradar.io)

• INTERPOL Nabs Hacking Crew OPERA1ER's Leader Behind $11 Million Cyber Crime (thehackernews.com)

Cryptocurrency/Cryptomining/Cryptojacking/NFTs/Blockchain

• Meduza Stealer targets tens of crypto wallers and pwd managers- Security Affairs

• $7.8 Billion Lost to Crypto Ponzi Schemes in 2022: Report (cryptopotato.com)

• Hackers stole millions of dollars worth of crypto assets from Poly Network platform- Security Affairs

Insider Risk and Insider Threats

• Human Error the Leading Cause of Cloud Data Breaches - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Why cyberpsychology is such an important part of effective cyber Security | CSO Online

Fraud, Scams & Financial Crime

• Google Searches for 'USPS Package Tracking' Leads to Banking Theft (darkreading.com)

• Support from British businesses crucial in removing over... - NCSC.GOV.UK

• GPT-4 is great at infuriating telemarketing scammers • The Register

• Ex-Amazon manager who stole $9m+ gets 16 years in prison • The Register

• $7.8 Billion Lost to Crypto Ponzi Schemes in 2022: Report (cryptopotato.com)

• International Police Operation Dismantles Phone Scam Network - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Four Men Face 20 Years For Money Laundering Charges - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

Deepfakes

• Scammers using AI voice technology to commit crimes - Help Net Security

• Cyber Criminals can break voice authentication with 99% success rate - Help Net Security

AML/CFT/Sanctions

• Four Men Face 20 Years For Money Laundering Charges - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

Insurance

• University of California sues Lloyd’s of London in cyber insurance dispute | CSO Online

• Find A Cyber Insurance Policy That Fits Your Small Business Budget (forbes.com)

• Cyber insurance rates drop 10% in June, report says | Reuters

• How Pen Testing can Soften the Blow on Rising Costs of Cyber Insurance (thehackernews.com)

• How Cyber Insurance Can Help Relieve The Costs Of A Cyber Attack (forbes.com)

Dark Web

• Ransomware Affiliates, Triple Extortion, and the Dark Web Ecosystem (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Report Reveals Companies Unprepared For Darknet Data Leaks - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Exploring the Dark Web Job Market (socradar.io)

• Deep Web vs Dark Web: What’s the Difference? - Keeper (keepersecurity.com)

Supply Chain and Third Parties

• Capita’s own pension scheme suffered data breach in March hack | Financial Times (ft.com)

• TSMC says IT supplier extorted by LockBit • The Register

• Hackers Claim $70 Million Ransomware Attack on TSMC, Hits Supplier Instead | Tom's Hardware (tomshardware.com)

Software Supply Chain

• A CISO's Guide to Paying Down Software Supply Chain Security Debt (darkreading.com)

Cloud/SaaS

• Microsoft Teams Exploit Tool Auto-Delivers Malware (darkreading.com)

• Japan rebukes Fujitsu for cloud security fails • The Register

• Cloud security: Sometimes the risks may outweigh the rewards – Cyber Reports Cyber Security News & Information (cyber-reports.com)

• 53% of SaaS licenses remain unused - Help Net Security

• IT leaders believe hybrid cloud solutions are the future of IT - Help Net Security

• Human Error the Leading Cause of Cloud Data Breaches - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Ongoing Incident Prompts JumpCloud to Reset API Keys - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Microsoft investigates Outlook.com bug breaking email search (bleepingcomputer.com)

• 11 best practices for securing data in the cloud | Microsoft Security Blog

• 3 Reasons SaaS Security is the Imperative First Step to Ensuring Secure AI Usage (thehackernews.com)

Attack Surface Management

• Attack surface visibility a top CISO priority amid growing attacks: Report | CSO Online

Encryption

• Cyber Criminals Hijacking Vulnerable SSH Servers in New Proxyjacking Campaign (thehackernews.com)

• Exploring the Dark Web Job Market (socradar.io)

• Apple, Civil Liberty Groups Condemn UK Online Safety Bill - SecurityWeek

• Online Safety Bill: WhatsApp, Signal, Element issue stark final warning against mass snooping of messages | Evening Standard

• Security Experts Raise Major Concerns With Online Safety Bill - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• 83% of Brits Demand Messaging Apps Remain Private, Ahead of Threat From Online Safety Bill (darkreading.com)

API

• Ongoing Incident Prompts JumpCloud to Reset API Keys - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

Open Source

• Mission Linux: How the open source software is now a lucrative target for hackers | CSO Online

• Researchers Uncover New Linux Kernel 'StackRot' Privilege Escalation Vulnerability (thehackernews.com)

Passwords, Credential Stuffing & Brute Force Attacks

• High school changes every student’s password to ‘Ch@ngeme!’ | TechCrunch

• Evasive Meduza Stealer Targets 19 Password Managers and 76 Crypto Wallets (thehackernews.com)

Social Media

• Twitter's bot spam keeps getting worse — it's about porn this time (bleepingcomputer.com)

• EU Court Deals Blow to Meta in German Data Case - SecurityWeek

• Instagram's Twitter Alternative 'Threads' Launch Halted in Europe Over Privacy Concerns (thehackernews.com)

• Privacy Woes Hold Up Global Instagram Threads Launch (darkreading.com)

Malvertising

• BlackCat Operators Distributing Ransomware Disguised as WinSCP via Malvertising (thehackernews.com)

Training, Education and Awareness

• Cyber Security Awareness Training to Fight Ransomware (trendmicro.com)

Regulations, Fines and Legislation

• France passes bill to allow police remotely activate phone camera, microphone, spy on people (gazettengr.com)

• Apple, Civil Liberty Groups Condemn UK Online Safety Bill - SecurityWeek

• EU Court Deals Blow to Meta in German Data Case - SecurityWeek

• Promoting responsible AI: Balancing innovation and regulation - Help Net Security

• European companies slam the EU’s incoming AI regulations in open letter - The Verge

• Stop using Google Analytics, warns Sweden’s privacy watchdog, as it issues over $1M in fines | TechCrunch

• 83% of Brits Demand Messaging Apps Remain Private, Ahead of Threat From Online Safety Bill (darkreading.com)

Models, Frameworks and Standards

• Center for Internet Security, CREST launch new enterprise cyber Security accreditation scheme | CSO Online

Careers, Working in Cyber and Information Security

• Crack the Code: How to Secure Your Dream Cyber Security Career - IT Security Guru

• 3 Ways to Build a More Skilled Cyber Security Workforce (darkreading.com)

• Make Diversity the 'How,' Not the 'What,' of Cyber Security Success (darkreading.com)

• CISO Speaks: Resilience and Avoiding Burnout - IT Security Guru

• Top 5 Free Online Cyber Security Courses in 2023 (analyticsinsight.net)

• ISACA joins ECSO to strengthen cyber Security and digital skills in Europe - Help Net Security

Law Enforcement Action and Take Downs

• INTERPOL Nabs Hacking Crew OPERA1ER's Leader Behind $11 Million Cyber Crime (thehackernews.com)

• International Police Operation Dismantles Phone Scam Network - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• FBI digital sting against Hive cyber Crime group shows the promise — and limits — of hacking hackers - POLITICO

Privacy, Surveillance and Mass Monitoring

• France passes bill to allow police remotely activate phone camera, microphone, spy on people (gazettengr.com)

• Microsoft, OpenAI sued for ChatGPT 'privacy violations' • The Register

• Online Safety Bill: WhatsApp, Signal, Element issue stark final warning against mass snooping of messages | Evening Standard

• TSA hopes to expand facial recognition over next ten years • The Register

• NJ cops must get wiretap order for real-time Facebook snoop • The Register

• Instagram's Twitter Alternative 'Threads' Launch Halted in Europe Over Privacy Concerns (thehackernews.com)

• UK Citizens Wary of NHS AI Use, Citing Privacy Concerns - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Stop using Google Analytics, warns Sweden’s privacy watchdog, as it issues over $1M in fines | TechCrunch

• Privacy Woes Hold Up Global Instagram Threads Launch (darkreading.com)

---

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

Russia

• Russians may have hacked NHS trust with 2.5 million patients (telegraph.co.uk)

• Switzerland’s Security Report: Impact of Russia–Ukraine Conflict - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Satellite system used by Russian military is hacked - The Washington Post

• Russian Hacktivist Platform 'DDoSia' Grows Exponentially (darkreading.com)

• Russian railway site allegedly taken down by Ukrainian hackers (therecord.media)

China

• US authorities warn on China’s new counter-espionage la' • The Register

• Chinese Threat Actors Targeting Europe in SmugX Campaign - Check Point Research

• Chinese threat actor attacks diplomats across Europe • The Register

• Apps with 1.5M installs on Google Play send your data to China (bleepingcomputer.com)

Iran

• Iran-Linked APT35 Targets Israeli Media With Upgraded Spear-Phishing Tools (darkreading.com)

• Iranian Hackers' Sophisticated Malware Targets Windows and macOS Users (thehackernews.com)

• Iranian hacking group impersonating nuclear experts to gain intel from Western think tanks | SC Media (scmagazine.com)

North Korea

• Experts detected a new variant of RUSTBUCKET macOS malware- Security Affairs

• North Korean satellite had no military utility for spying • The Register

Misc/Other/Unknown

• Advanced Persistent Threats: A Wake-Up Call for Cyber Security (ts2.space)

---

Vulnerability Management

• Botnets Send Exploits Within Days to Weeks After Published PoC (darkreading.com)

• Mitigate Top 5 Common Cyber Security Vulnerabilities (trendmicro.com)

Vulnerabilities

• CISA warns Samsung handset bugs and D-Link router flaws are being exploited in wild | SC Media (scmagazine.com)

• 300,000+ Fortinet firewalls vulnerable to critical FortiOS RCE bug (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Microsoft puts out Outlook fire, downplays Teams flaw • The Register

• Critical Flaw Exposes ArcServe Backup to Remote Code Execution - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• WordPress plugin lets users become admins – Patch early, patch often! – Naked Security (sophos.com)

• Cyber Criminals Hijacking Vulnerable SSH Servers in New Proxyjacking Campaign (thehackernews.com)

• Firefox 115 Patches High-Severity Use-After-Free Vulnerabilities - SecurityWeek

• Microsoft fixes bug behind Windows LSA protection warnings, again (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Samsung Phone Flaws Added to CISA 'Must Patch' List Likely Exploited by Spyware Vendor - SecurityWeek

• Cisco warns of bug that lets attackers break traffic encryption (bleepingcomputer.com)

• StackRot Linux Kernel Bug Has Exploit Code on the Way (darkreading.com)

• Cisco warns of a flaw in Nexus 9000 series switches that allows modifying encrypted traffic- Security Affairs

---

Tools and Controls

• Cyber Security Awareness Training to Fight Ransomware (trendmicro.com)

• Attack surface visibility a top CISO priority amid growing attacks: Report | CSO Online

• VMware, Other Tech Giants Announce Push for Confidential Computing Standards - SecurityWeek

• Small organisations face security threats on a limited budget - Help Net Security

• 11 best practices for securing data in the cloud | Microsoft Security Blog

• How Pen Testing can Soften the Blow on Rising Costs of Cyber Insurance (thehackernews.com)

• Mitigating Risk With Threat Intelligence (darkreading.com)

• How Cyber Insurance Can Help Relieve The Costs Of A Cyber Attack (forbes.com)

---

Reports Published in the Last Week

• Phishing Trends and Tactics: Q1 of 2023 | Tripwire

• How to Use Threat Intelligence to Mitigate Third-Party Risk Free Report (tradepub.com)

---

Other News

• Foreign spies hacked government 20 years ago (thetimes.co.uk)

• GCHQ Reveals Details of State-Backed Breach - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Police investigate stolen exam papers after cyber attack (schoolsweek.co.uk)

• VMware, Other Tech Giants Announce Push for Confidential Computing Standards - SecurityWeek

• Why Schools are Low-Hanging Fruit for Cyber Criminals - IT Security Guru

• Hacks targeting British exam boards raise fears of students cheating (therecord.media)

• Cyber Attacks and Data Breaches in Review: June 2023 - IT Governance Blog En

• Is your browser betraying you? Emerging threats in 2023 - Help Net Security

---

Sector Specific

Industry specific threat intelligence reports are available.

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

·       Automotive

·       Construction

·       Critical National Infrastructure (CNI)

·       Defence & Space

·       Education & Academia

·       Energy & Utilities

·       Estate Agencies

·       Financial Services

·       FinTech

·       Food & Agriculture

·       Gaming & Gambling

·       Government & Public Sector (including Law Enforcement)

·       Health/Medical/Pharma

·       Hotels & Hospitality

·       Insurance

·       Legal

·       Manufacturing

·       Maritime

·       Oil, Gas & Mining

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

·       Retail & eCommerce

·       Small and Medium Sized Businesses (SMBs)

·       Startups

·       Telecoms

·       Third Sector & Charities

·       Transport & Aviation

·       Web3

---

As usual, contact us to help assess where your risks lie and to ensure you are doing all you can do to keep you and your business secure.

Look out for our ‘Cyber Tip Tuesday’ video blog and on our YouTube channel.

You can also follow us on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

Links to articles are for interest and awareness and linking to or reposting external content does not endorse any service or product, likewise we are not responsible for the security of external links.

Black Arrow Cyber Threat Briefing 28 April 2023

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

Top Cyber Stories of the Last Week

• Navigating the Future of Cyber: Business Strategy, Cyber Security Training, and Digital Transformation are Key

Cyber investments have become table stakes for businesses around the world. Cyber crime is increasing, with 91% of organisations reporting at least one cyber incident in the past year. Not only are they growing in numbers, but they are becoming more sophisticated and diverse, with new threats constantly emerging. According to the 2023 Deloitte Global Future of Cyber survey, business leaders are changing how they think of cyber, and it’s emerging as a larger strategic discussion tied to an organisation’s long-term success.

Cyber is about more than protecting information—risk management, incident response planning, threat intelligence and training can often be directly correlated to increasing trust within businesses.

Cyber security training is essential for employees to ensure the safety and security of a business. Employees are often the first line of defence against cyber-attacks and frequently the weakest link in an organisation's security posture. Cyber security training can help employees recognise and avoid common cyber threats, such as phishing attacks, malware, and social engineering. 89% of organisations cited as high-performing cyber organisations have implemented annual cyber awareness training among all employees. With increased digital dependency year over year—effective employee training can raise awareness, reduce risk, improve security posture, and support compliance.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/deloitte/2023/04/20/navigating-the-future-of-cyber-business-strategy-cybersecurity-training-and-digital-transformation-are-key/?sh=1ab15c2c29c1

• Shadow IT, SaaS Pose Security Liability for Enterprises

There's no denying that software-as-a-service (SaaS) has entered its golden age. Software tools have now become essential to modern business operations and continuity. However, not enough organisations have implemented the proper procurement processes to ensure they're protecting themselves from potential data breaches and reputational harm.

A critical component contributing to concerns around SaaS management is the rising trend of shadow IT, which is when employees download and use software tools without notifying their internal IT teams. A recent study shows that 77% of IT professionals believe that shadow IT is becoming a major concern in 2023, with more than 65% saying their SaaS tools aren't being approved. Organisations are beginning to struggle with maintaining security as their SaaS usage continues to sprawl.

To combat shadow IT and the high risks that come along with it, organisations must gain greater visibility over their SaaS stacks and institute an effective procurement process when bringing on new software solutions.

https://www.darkreading.com/edge-articles/shadow-it-saas-pose-security-liability-for-enterprises

• The Strong Link Between Cyber Threat Intelligence and Digital Risk Protection

While indicators of compromise and attackers’ tactics, techniques, and processes (TTPs) remain central to threat intelligence, cyber threat intelligence needs have grown over the past few years, driven by things like digital transformation, cloud computing and remote working. In fact, these changes have led to a cyber threat intelligence (CTI) subcategory focused on digital risk protection (DRP). DRP is broadly defined as, “telemetry, analysis, processes, and technologies used to identify and mitigate risks associated with digital assets”.

According to research provider ESG, the most important functions of DRP as part of a mature CTI programme are: vulnerability exploit intelligence, takedown services, leaked data monitoring, malicious mobile application monitoring, brand protection and attack surface management. It should be noted that a mature CTI programme can utilise service providers to help carry out threat intelligence, it doesn’t have to be spun up by the organisation from nothing. Regardless, an organisation employing these DRP functions as part of a CTI programme will be increasing its cyber resilience and reducing the chance of a cyber incident.

https://www.csoonline.com/article/3693754/the-strong-link-between-cyber-threat-intelligence-and-digital-risk-protection.html

• Weak Credentials, Unpatched Vulnerabilities, Malicious Open Source Packages Causing Cloud Security Risks

Threat actors are getting more adept at exploiting common everyday issues in the cloud, including misconfigurations, weak credentials, lack of authentication, unpatched vulnerabilities, and malicious open-source software (OSS) packages. Meanwhile, security teams take an average of 145 hours to solve alerts, with 80% of cloud alerts triggered by just 5% of security rules in most environments according to a recent report. The report, conducted by UNIT 42 analysed the workload of 210,000 cloud accounts across 1,300 organisations.

The report’s findings echoed similarities from the previous year, finding almost all cloud users, roles, services and resources grant excessive permissions. Some of the other key findings include as many as 83% of organisations having hard-coded credentials in their source control management systems, 53% of cloud accounts allowing weak password usage and 44% allowing password reuse and 71% of high or critical vulnerabilities exposed were at least two years old.

https://www.csoonline.com/article/3693260/weak-credentials-unpatched-vulnerabilities-malicious-oss-packages-causing-cloud-security-risks.html

• Over 70 Billion Unprotected Files Available on Unsecured Web Servers

A recent report found that more than 70 billion files, including intellectual property and financial information, are freely available and unprotected on unsecured web servers. Other key findings of the report included almost 1 in 10 of all detected internet-facing assets having an unpatched vulnerability, with the top 10 vulnerabilities found unpatched at least 12 million times each.

The report predicted that there will be a significant rise in information stealing malware; the report had found that 50% of emails associated with customers were plaintext and unencrypted. Additionally, there will be more incidents due to an increase in assets which are not known to IT, known as shadow IT.

Organisations should look to employ efficient patch management, have an up to date asset register, and use encryption to better increase their cyber defences.

https://www.helpnetsecurity.com/2023/04/24/critical-cybersecurity-exposures/

• Cyber Thieves Are Getting More Creative

Cyber criminals are constantly changing their tactics and finding new ways to steal money from organisations. An example of this can be seen where criminals are breaking into systems to learn who is authorised to send payments and what the procedures are. Eventually, this leads to the criminal instructing payment to their own account.

Unfortunately, it is only after such events that some organisations are taking actions, such as verifying payments through phone calls. Whilst it is important for organisations to learn from attacks, it is beneficial to take a pro-active approach and employ procedures such as call back procedures before an incident has occurred.

https://hbr.org/2023/04/cyber-thieves-are-getting-more-creative

• Modernising Vulnerability Management: The Move Toward Exposure Management

Managing vulnerabilities in the constantly evolving technological landscape is a difficult task. Although vulnerabilities emerge regularly, not all vulnerabilities present the same level of risk. Traditional metrics such as CVSS score or the number of vulnerabilities are insufficient for effective vulnerability management as they lack business context, prioritisation, and understanding of attackers' motivations, opportunities and means. Vulnerabilities only represent a small part of the attack surface that attackers can leverage.

Exposures are broader and can encompass more than just vulnerabilities. Exposures can result from various factors, such as human error, improperly defined security controls, and poorly designed and unsecured architecture. Organisations should consider that an attacker doesn’t just look at one exposure; attackers will often use a combination of vulnerabilities, misconfigurations, permissions and other exposures to move across systems and reach valuable assets.

As such, organisations looking to improve their cyber resiliency should consider their vulnerability management system and assess both whether it is taking into account exposures and the context in relation to the organisation.

https://thehackernews.com/2023/04/modernizing-vulnerability-management.html

• Two-thirds of Cyber Attacks Involve Ransomware

A report from Sophos focusing on recent incident response cases, found that 68.4% of incidents resulted from ransomware. This was followed by network breaches, accounting for 18.4%. Regarding threat actor access, the report found that unpatched vulnerabilities were the single most common access method, followed by compromised credentials.

https://www.computerweekly.com/news/365535467/Almost-three-quarters-of-cyber-attacks-involve-ransomware

• Corporate Boards Pressure CISOs to Step Up Risk Mitigation Efforts

A recent report found that the top challenges when implementing an effective cyber/IT risk management programme include an increase in the quantity (49%) and severity (49%) of cyber threats, a lack of funding (37%) and a lack of staffing/cyber risk talent (36%).

Cyber attacks have been increasing for several years now and resulting data breaches cost businesses an average of $4.35 million in 2022, according to the annual IBM ‘Cost of a Data Breach’ report. Given the financial and reputational consequences of cyber attacks, corporate board rooms are putting pressure on CISOs to identify and mitigate cyber/IT risk.

When it came to reporting to the board, 30% of CIO and CISO respondents say they do not communicate risk around specific business initiatives to other company leaders, indicating they may not know how to share that information in a constructive way.

https://www.helpnetsecurity.com/2023/04/26/effective-it-risk-management/

• NSA Sees ‘Significant’ Russian Intel Gathering on European, US Supply Chain Entities

According to the US National Security Agency (NSA), Russian hackers could be looking to attack logistics targets more broadly. The NSA have noted a significant amount of intelligence gathering into western countries, including the UK and the US.

Although there is no indication yet regarding attacks from Russia in connection with the logistics related to Ukraine, organisations should be aware and look to improve their cyber security practices to be best prepared.

https://cyberscoop.com/nsa-russian-ukraine-supply-chain-ransomware/

• Email Threat Report 2023: Key Takeaways

According to a recent report, email phishing made up 24% of all spam types in 2022, a significant increase in proportion from 11% in 2021. The finance industry was the most targeted by far, accounting for 48% of phishing incidents. It is followed by the construction sector at 17%, overtaking 2021’s second-place industry, e-commerce. Both the finance and construction industries saw an increase in phishing since last year. Of all the emails analysed in 2022, an enormous 90% were spam emails.

With phishing as prevalent as ever, organisations should look to implement training for their staff to not only be able to spot phishing emails, but to be able to report these and aid in improving the cyber security culture of their organisation.

https://www.itsecurityguru.org/2023/04/27/email-threat-report-2023-key-takeaways/

• 5 Most Dangerous New Attack Techniques

Experts from security training provider SANS Institute have revealed the 5 most dangerous new attack techniques: adversarial AI, ChatGPT-powered social engineering, third-party developer attacks (also known as software supply chain attacks), SEO, and paid advertising attacks.

The new techniques highlight the ever changing environment of the attack environment. SEO and paid advertising attacks are leveraging fundamental marketing strategies to gain initial access, heightening the importance for organisations to incorporate scalable user awareness training programmes, tailored to new threats.

https://www.csoonline.com/article/3694892/5-most-dangerous-new-attack-techniques.html  

• Many Public Salesforce Sites are Leaking Private Data

A shocking number of organisations — including banks and healthcare providers — are leaking private and sensitive information from their public Salesforce Community websites. The data exposures all stem from a misconfiguration in Salesforce Community that allows an unauthenticated user to access records that should only be available after logging in.

This included the US State of Vermont who had at least five separate Salesforce Community sites that allowed guest access to sensitive data, including a Pandemic Unemployment Assistance programme that exposed the applicant’s full name, social security number, address, phone number, email, and bank account number. Similar information was leaked by TCF Bank on their Salesforce Community Website.

It's not just Salesforce though; misconfigurations in general are responsible for a number of leaked documents and or exposures relating to an organisation.

https://krebsonsecurity.com/2023/04/many-public-salesforce-sites-are-leaking-private-data/

---

Threats

Ransomware, Extortion and Destructive Attacks

• New coercive tactics used to extort ransomware payments - Help Net Security

• Capita Admits That Its ‘Cyber Incident’ Was Ransomware and That Customer Data Was Breached - IT Governance UK Blog

• Russian hackers exfiltrated data from from Capita over a week before outage | by Kevin Beaumont | Apr, 2023 | DoublePulsar

• Almost three-quarters of cyber attacks involve ransomware | Computer Weekly

• #RSAC: Ransomware Poses Growing Threat to Five Eyes Nations - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Ransomware attacks, human error main cause of cloud data breaches: Report (business-standard.com)

• Effects of the Hive Ransomware Group Takedown (darkreading.com)

• Microsoft Confirms PaperCut Servers Used to Deliver LockBit and Cl0p Ransomware (thehackernews.com)

• Trojanized Installers Used to Distribute Bumblebee Malware - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• MIT and Stanford researchers develop operating system with one major promise: Resisting ransomware | CyberScoop

• Tank storage company Vopak hacked, Ransomware groups report | NL Times

• Health insurer Point32Health suffered a ransomware attack-Security Affairs

• Hacker demands ransom after 'taking control' of Wiltshire school's IT | Swindon Advertiser

• US Navy Contractor Fincantieri Marine Group Hit by Cyber-attack - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Arnold Clark braced for cyber payout (thetimes.co.uk)

• RSAC speaker offers ransomware victims unconventional advice | TechTarget

• How ransomware victims can make the best of a bad situation | TechTarget

• Hackers Leaked Minneapolis Students' Psychological Reports, Allegations of Abuse (gizmodo.com)

• Linux version of RTM Locker ransomware targets VMware ESXi servers (bleepingcomputer.com)

• CommScope employees left in the dark after ransomware attack | TechCrunch

Phishing & Email Based Attacks

• Email Threat Report 2023: Key Takeaways - IT Security Guru

• How Dangerous Is Phishing in 2023? - Duo Blog | Duo Security

• The New Frontier in Email Security: Goodbye, Gateways; Hello, Behavioural AI (darkreading.com)

BEC – Business Email Compromise

• WhatsApp used in BEC scam to pilfer $6.4M | SC Media (scmagazine.com)

2FA/MFA

• CrowdStrike details new MFA bypass, credential theft attack | TechTarget

• Phishing-resistant MFA shapes the future of authentication forms - Help Net Security

Malware

• Malware-Free Cyber attacks Are On the Rise; Here's How to Detect Them (darkreading.com)

• Trojanized Installers Used to Distribute Bumblebee Malware - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Ex-Conti and FIN7 Actors Collaborate with New Backdoor (securityintelligence.com)

• EvilExtractor malware activity spikes in Europe and the US (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Zaraza Malware Exploits Web Browsers To Steal Stored Passwords (latesthackingnews.com)

• This evil malware disables your security software, then goes in for the kill | TechRadar

• Decoy Dog malware toolkit found after analysing 70 billion DNS queries (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Lazarus Subgroup Targeting Apple Devices with New RustBucket macOS Malware (thehackernews.com)

• A Security Team Is Turning This Malware Gang’s Tricks Against It | WIRED

• Evasive Panda APT group delivers malware via updates for popular Chinese software | WeLiveSecurity

• Google banned 173K developer accounts to block malware, fraud rings (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Chinese Cyber spies Delivered Malware via Legitimate Software Updates - SecurityWeek

• Chinese hackers launch Linux variant of PingPull malware | CSO Online

Mobile

• WhatsApp used in BEC scam to pilfer $6.4M | SC Media (scmagazine.com)

• 35M Downloads Of Android Minecraft Clones Spreads Adware (informationsecuritybuzz.com)

Botnets

• Google Gets Court Order to Take Down CryptBot That Infected Over 670,000 Computers (thehackernews.com)

Denial of Service/DoS/DDOS

• New SLP bug can lead to massive 2,200x DDoS amplification attacks (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Top 15 DDoS Protection Best Practices - Security Boulevard

• 'Anonymous Sudan' Claims Responsibility for DDoS Attacks Against Israel (darkreading.com)

Internet of Things – IoT

• Government Agencies Release Blueprint for Secure Smart Cities - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• TP-Link Archer WiFi router flaw exploited by Mirai malware (bleepingcomputer.com)

Data Breaches/Leaks

• Over 70 billion unprotected files available on unsecured web servers - Help Net Security

• Many Public Salesforce Sites are Leaking Private Data – Krebs on Security

• American Bar Association data breach hits 1.4 million members (bleepingcomputer.com)

• CFPB Employee Sends 256,000 Consumers' Data to Personal Email - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• American Bar Association (ABA) suffered a data breach-Security Affairs

• Shields Health Breach Exposes 2.3M Users' Data (darkreading.com)

• Serving UK Armed Forces member charged under Official Secrets Act (telegraph.co.uk)

• Yellow Pages Canada confirms cyber attack as Black Basta leaks data (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Vantage Travel Experiences Data Security Incident (darkreading.com)

Organised Crime & Criminal Actors

• The IRS is sending four investigators across the world to fight cyber crime | TechCrunch

Cryptocurrency/Cryptomining/Cryptojacking/NFTs/Blockchain

• Kubernetes RBAC abused to create persistent cluster backdoors (bleepingcomputer.com)

• North Korean Foreign Trade Bank Representative Charged in Crypto Laundering Conspiracies (darkreading.com)

Insider Risk and Insider Threats

• Ransomware attacks, human error main cause of cloud data breaches: Report (business-standard.com)

Fraud, Scams & Financial Crime

• The IRS is sending four investigators across the world to fight cyber crime | TechCrunch

• How Startups Can Take Steps To Prevent Syphoning & Fraud

• US deploys more cyber forces abroad to help fight hackers | Reuters

• The ‘Your computer was locked’ scam is gaining traction (consumeraffairs.com)

• The true numbers behind deepfake fraud - Help Net Security

• Google banned 173K developer accounts to block malware, fraud rings (bleepingcomputer.com)

Deepfakes

• The true numbers behind deepfake fraud - Help Net Security

AML/CFT/Sanctions

• North Korean Foreign Trade Bank Representative Charged in Crypto Laundering Conspiracies (darkreading.com)

Insurance

• The Complexities of Cyber Insurance | Cyber Risk Management (telos.com)

Dark Web

• Metaverse Version of the Dark Web Could be Nearly Impenetrable (darkreading.com)

Supply Chain and Third Parties

• Capita Admits That Its ‘Cyber Incident’ Was Ransomware and That Customer Data Was Breached - IT Governance UK Blog

• Russian hackers exfiltrated data from from Capita over a week before outage | by Kevin Beaumont | Apr, 2023 | DoublePulsar

• At least 2 critical infrastructure orgs breached by North Korea-linked hackers behind 3CX attack - -Security Affairs-Security Affairs

• The Huge 3CX Breach Was Actually 2 Linked Supply Chain Attacks | WIRED

• That 3CX supply chain attack keeps getting worse • The Register

• NSA sees 'significant' Russian intel gathering on European, US supply chain entities | CyberScoop

• North Korean hackers breach software firm in significant cyber attack | CNN Politics

• SD Worx hack: Payroll firm for M&S hit by cyber attack (thetimes.co.uk)

• A third-party’s perspective on third-party InfoSec risk management - Help Net Security

Software Supply Chain

• Securing Software Supply Chains Requires Outside-the-Box Thinking - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

Cloud/SaaS

• Shadow IT, SaaS Pose Security Liability for Enterprises (darkreading.com)

• Weak credentials, unpatched vulnerabilities, malicious OSS packages causing cloud security risks | CSO Online

• 14 Kubernetes and Cloud Security Challenges and How to Solve Them (thehackernews.com)

• Ransomware attacks, human error main cause of cloud data breaches: Report (business-standard.com)

• GhostToken Flaw Could Let Attackers Hide Malicious Apps in Google Cloud Platform (thehackernews.com)

• Saas Security: The Need For Continuous Sustenance (informationsecuritybuzz.com)

• How CISOs navigate security and compliance in a multi-cloud world - Help Net Security

• Cloud Complexity Means Bugs Are Missed in Testing - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Study: 84% of Companies Use Breached SaaS Applications - Here's How to Fix it for Free! (thehackernews.com)

• Security experts found a major bug in Google Cloud | TechRadar

• Most SaaS adopters exposed to browser-borne attacks - Help Net Security

• Cloud-native security metrics for CISOs | TechTarget

• Exposed Artifacts Seen In Misconfigured Cloud Software Registries (informationsecuritybuzz.com)

• Google accounts attacked and hijacked by this devious security flaw | TechRadar

Containers

• Kubernetes RBAC abused to create persistent cluster backdoors (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Experts spotted first-ever crypto mining campaign leveraging Kubernetes RBAC-Security Affairs

• Combating Kubernetes — the Newest IAM Challenge (darkreading.com)

Attack Surface Management

• Over 70 billion unprotected files available on unsecured web servers - Help Net Security

• Study of past cyber attacks can improve organisations' defence strategies - Help Net Security

Shadow IT

• Shadow IT, SaaS Pose Security Liability for Enterprises (darkreading.com)

Identity and Access Management

• Rethinking the effectiveness of current authentication initiatives - Help Net Security

• Combating Kubernetes — the Newest IAM Challenge (darkreading.com)

Open Source

• The double-edged sword of open-source software - Help Net Security

• Linux Shift: Chinese APT Alloy Taurus Is Back With Retooling (darkreading.com)

• Chinese hackers launch Linux variant of PingPull malware | CSO Online

• Linux version of RTM Locker ransomware targets VMware ESXi servers (bleepingcomputer.com)

Passwords, Credential Stuffing & Brute Force Attacks

• Weak credentials, unpatched vulnerabilities, malicious OSS packages causing cloud security risks | CSO Online

• Password reset woes could cost FTSE 100 companies $156 million each month - Help Net Security

• The War on Passwords Enters a Chaotic New Phase | WIRED

• A '!password20231#' password may not be as complex as you think (bleepingcomputer.com)

Social Media

• Thousands of Social Media Takedowns Hit People Smugglers - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Metaverse Version of the Dark Web Could be Nearly Impenetrable (darkreading.com)

• Vietnamese Hackers Linked to 'Malverposting' Campaign - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

Malvertising

• Trojanized Installers Used to Distribute Bumblebee Malware - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Google ads push BumbleBee malware used by ransomware gangs (bleepingcomputer.com)

• 35M Downloads Of Android Minecraft Clones Spreads Adware (informationsecuritybuzz.com)

Training, Education and Awareness

• Navigating The Future Of Cyber: Business Strategy, Cyber security Training, And Digital Transformation Are Key (forbes.com)

Digital Transformation

• Navigating The Future Of Cyber: Business Strategy, Cyber security Training, And Digital Transformation Are Key (forbes.com)

• Cyber security in Finance: Protecting Your Digital Transformation | CSO Online

Parental Controls and Child Safety

• Tech giants and government have failed to stop child sex abuse online, says Sajid Javid (telegraph.co.uk)

Regulations, Fines and Legislation

• (ISC)2 Urges Countries to Strengthen Collaboration on Cyber security Regulation - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

Governance, Risk and Compliance

• Navigating The Future Of Cyber: Business Strategy, Cyber security Training, And Digital Transformation Are Key (forbes.com)

• Corporate boards pressure CISOs to step up risk mitigation efforts - Help Net Security

• How the Talent Shortage Impacts Cyber security Leadership (securityintelligence.com)

• Is your bank account safe? Mass layoffs weaken cyber security across finance sector | Fox Business

• The Tangled Web of IR Strategies (darkreading.com)

• The strong link between cyber threat intelligence and digital risk protection | CSO Online

• Cyber Thieves Are Getting More Creative (hbr.org)

• Organisations are stepping up their game against cyber threats - Help Net Security

• CISOs: unsupported, unheard, and invisible - Help Net Security

• The Relationship Between Security Maturity and Business Enablement | CSO Online

• CISOs Rethink Data Security with Info-Centric Framework (darkreading.com)

• UK Cyber Pros Burnt Out and Overwhelmed - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Good, Better And Best Security (informationsecuritybuzz.com)

• #RSAC: Organisations Warned About the Latest Attack Techniques - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• SANS Reveals Top 5 Most Dangerous Cyber attacks for 2023 (darkreading.com)

• Cloud-native security metrics for CISOs | TechTarget

Models, Frameworks and Standards

• Small Business is a Big Priority: NIST Expands Outreach to the Small Business Community | NIST

• Are you ready for PCI DSS 4.0? - Help Net Security

Careers, Working in Cyber and Information Security

• UK Cyber Pros Burnt Out and Overwhelmed - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• How to Begin a Career in Ethical Hacking in the Year 2023? (analyticsinsight.net)

Law Enforcement Action and Take Downs

• To combat cyber crime, US law enforcement increasingly prioritizes disruption | CyberScoop

• US to focus on stifling cyber attacks, not convictions • The Register

• US deploys more cyber forces abroad to help fight hackers | Reuters

• Effects of the Hive Ransomware Group Takedown (darkreading.com)

• Google Gets Court Order to Take Down CryptBot That Infected Over 670,000 Computers (thehackernews.com)

Privacy, Surveillance and Mass Monitoring

• Hackers can find your home on Strava even if you use privacy settings, researchers find | Cycling Weekly

• Major US CFPB Data Breach Caused by Employee (darkreading.com)

Artificial Intelligence

• The Growing Need for Cyber Security in an Age of AI Disruption (analyticsinsight.net)

• From pope’s jacket to napalm recipes: how worrying is AI’s rapid growth? | Artificial intelligence (AI) | The Guardian

• Cyber security Survival: Hide From Adversarial AI (darkreading.com)

• AI Experts: Account for AI/ML Resilience & Risk While There's Still Time (darkreading.com)

• 5 most dangerous new attack techniques | CSO Online

• NSA Cyber security Director Says ‘Buckle Up’ for Generative AI | WIRED

• The New Risks ChatGPT Poses to Cyber security (hbr.org)

• From ChatGPT to HackGPT: Meeting the Cyber security Threat of Generative AI (mit.edu)

• ChatGPT fans need 'defensive mindset' to avoid scammers • The Register

• DHS announces AI task force, security sprint on China-related threats | SC Media (scmagazine.com)

• The New Frontier in Email Security: Goodbye, Gateways; Hello, Behavioral AI (darkreading.com)

• Nvidia releases a toolkit to make text-generating AI ‘safer’ | TechCrunch

• Artificial intelligence takes RSA Conference by storm | SC Media (scmagazine.com)

• The good, the bad and the generative AI • The Register

• Secureworks CEO weighs in on XDR landscape, AI concerns | TechTarget

---

Spyware, Cyber Espionage & Cyber Warfare, including Russian Invasion of Ukraine

• BCS Policy Jam : Cyberwar and Ukraine one year on | BCS

• FBI aiding Ukraine in collection of digital and physical war crime evidence | CyberScoop

• NSA sees 'significant' Russian intel gathering on European, US supply chain entities | CyberScoop

• #RSAC: Cyber-Attacks on Civilian Infrastructure Should Be War Crimes, says Ukraine Official - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• UK undersea cables worth £7.4 trillion a day under ‘real threat’ from Russia | The Independent

• Eurocontrol says website 'under attack' by pro-Russia crew • The Register

• Iran cyberespionage group taps SimpleHelp for persistence on victim devices | CSO Online

• Russian Hackers Tomiris Targeting Central Asia for Intelligence Gathering (thehackernews.com)

• CISA, Cyber Command Collaboration Blocks Attempted Attacks on US Interests - MSSP Alert

Nation State Actors

• APT Groups Expand Reach to New Industries and Geographies - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Chinese Cyber spies Delivered Malware via Legitimate Software Updates - SecurityWeek

• North Korean hackers breach software firm in significant cyber attack | CNN Politics

• Western cyber security must advance to counter China's cyber space progress, says NCSC director (computing.co.uk)

• China building cyber weapons to hijack enemy satellites, says US leak | Financial Times (ft.com)

• NCSC raises alert on cyber threat to infrastructure | UKAuthority

• Iran cyberespionage group taps SimpleHelp for persistence on victim devices | CSO Online

• DHS announces AI task force, security sprint on China-related threats | SC Media (scmagazine.com)

• At least 2 critical infrastructure orgs breached by North Korea-linked hackers behind 3CX attack - -Security Affairs-Security Affairs

• North Korea's Kimsuky APT Keeps Growing, Despite Public Outing (darkreading.com)

• APT 'Mint Sandstorm' quickly exploits new PoC hacks | SC Media (scmagazine.com)

• Russian Hackers Suspected in Ongoing Exploitation of Unpatched PaperCut Servers (thehackernews.com)

• North Korean Foreign Trade Bank Representative Charged in Crypto Laundering Conspiracies (darkreading.com)

• Iranian Hackers Launch Sophisticated Attacks Targeting Israel with PowerLess Backdoor (thehackernews.com)

• Lazarus Subgroup Targeting Apple Devices with New RustBucket macOS Malware (thehackernews.com)

• US Cyberwarriors Thwarted 2020 Iran Election Hacking Attempt - SecurityWeek

• Evasive Panda APT group delivers malware via updates for popular Chinese software | WeLiveSecurity

• Linux Shift: Chinese APT Alloy Taurus Is Back With Retooling (darkreading.com)

• Pro-Russia hacking group executed a disruptive attack against a Canadian gas pipeline-Security Affairs

• Charming Kitten's New BellaCiao Malware Discovered in Multi-Country Attacks (thehackernews.com)

• Iranian cyber spies deploy new malware implant on Microsoft Exchange Servers | CSO Online

• A component in Huawei network appliances could be used to take down Germany’s telecoms networks-Security Affairs

• Ukrainian arrested for selling data of 300M people to Russians (bleepingcomputer.com)

• FIN7 Hackers Caught Exploiting Recent Veeam Vulnerability - SecurityWeek

• Chinese hackers launch Linux variant of PingPull malware | CSO Online

• CISA, Cyber Command Collaboration Blocks Attempted Attacks on US Interests - MSSP Alert

• Lazarus, Scarcruft North Korean APTs Shift Tactics, Thrive (darkreading.com)

---

Vulnerability Management

• Weak credentials, unpatched vulnerabilities, malicious OSS packages causing cloud security risks | CSO Online

• Modernizing Vulnerability Management: The Move Toward Exposure Management (thehackernews.com)

• GitLab’s new security feature uses AI to explain vulnerabilities to developers | TechCrunch

• Microsoft: Windows 10 22H2 is the final version of Windows 10 (bleepingcomputer.com)

---

Vulnerabilities

• New Google Chrome Zero-Day Bug Actively Exploited in Wide (gbhackers.com)

• Flaw in Microsoft Process Explorer under active attack • The Register

• Hackers Exploit Outdated WordPress Plugin to Backdoor Thousands of WordPress Sites (thehackernews.com)

• APC warns of critical unauthenticated RCE flaws in UPS software (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Double zero-day in Chrome and Edge – check your versions now! – Naked Security (sophos.com)

• Security experts found a major bug in Google Cloud | TechRadar

• TP-Link Archer WiFi router flaw exploited by Mirai malware (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Mozilla confirms memory leak in Firefox - gHacks Tech News

• SolarWinds Platform Update Patches High-Severity Vulnerabilities - SecurityWeek

• VMware Releases Critical Patches for Workstation and Fusion Software (thehackernews.com)

• Apache Superset Vulnerability: Insecure Default Configuration Exposes Servers to RCE Attacks (thehackernews.com)

• Cisco discloses XSS zero-day flaw in server management tool (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Microsoft removes LSA Protection from Windows settings to fix bug (bleepingcomputer.com)

• PaperCut says hackers are exploiting ‘critical’ security flaws in unpatched servers | TechCrunch

• FIN7 Hackers Caught Exploiting Recent Veeam Vulnerability - SecurityWeek

• New high-severity vulnerability (CVE-2023-29552) discovered in the Service Location Protocol (SLP) | Bitsight

---

Tools and Controls

• Navigating The Future Of Cyber: Business Strategy, Cyber security Training, And Digital Transformation Are Key (forbes.com)

• Corporate boards pressure CISOs to step up risk mitigation efforts - Help Net Security

• The Tangled Web of IR Strategies (darkreading.com)

• 14 Kubernetes and Cloud Security Challenges and How to Solve Them (thehackernews.com)

• Six Key Considerations When Choosing a Web Application Firewall  - Security Boulevard

• The Complexities of Cyber Insurance | Cyber Risk Management (telos.com)

• Unified Endpoint Management: A Powerful Tool for Your Cyber security Arsenal | CSO Online

• GitLab’s new security feature uses AI to explain vulnerabilities to developers | TechCrunch

• Google Authenticator finally, mercifully adds account syncing for two-factor codes - The Verge

• The Needs of a Modernized SOC for Hybrid Cloud (securityintelligence.com)

• Rethinking the effectiveness of current authentication initiatives - Help Net Security

• Attack Surface Management Strategies (trendmicro.com)

• Google will add End-to-End encryption to Google Authenticator (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Google 2FA Syncing Feature Could Put Your Privacy at Risk (darkreading.com)

• Embracing zero-trust: a look at the NSA’s recommended IAM best practices for administrators | CSO Online

• CISOs struggle to manage risk due to DevSecOps inefficiencies - Help Net Security

• Generative AI and security: Balancing performance and risk - Help Net Security

• #RSAC: GPT-4 Empowers Cyber security Leaders to Make Smarter Risk Decisions - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• SSL vs TLS: Which Should You Be Using? (trendmicro.com)

• CISA aims to reduce email threats with serial CDR prototype | TechTarget

• Top 15 DDoS Protection Best Practices - Security Boulevard

• Threat Actor Names Proliferate, Adding Confusion (darkreading.com)

• AI Dominates RSA as Excitement and Questions Surround its Potential in Cyber security Tooling - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

---

Reports Published in the Last Week

• Email Threats - Discover the latest trends and stay one step ahead - VIPRE

---

Other News

• Falling Dwell Time May Be Down to Faster Threat Activity - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• The threat from commercial cyber proliferation - NCSC.GOV.UK

• Hackers could learn how to send fake terror threats on YouTube, warn experts (telegraph.co.uk)

• Government launches new cyber security measures to tackle ever growing threats - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

• Attackers are logging in instead of breaking in - Help Net Security

• NCSC unveils data driven cyber security model | UKAuthority

• Hacker Group Names Are Now Absurdly Out of Control | WIRED

• 38 Countries Take Part in NATO's 2023 Locked Shields Cyber Exercise - SecurityWeek

• Quad Countries Prepare For Info Sharing on Critical Infrastructure - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• The White House National Cyber security Strategy Has a Fatal Flaw (darkreading.com)

• Threat Actor Names Proliferate, Adding Confusion (darkreading.com)

---

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.