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Black Arrow Cyber Threat Briefing 15 September 2023
Black Arrow Cyber Threat Intelligence Briefing 15 September 2023:
-Overconfident Organisations Prone to Cyber Breaches
-Board Members Struggling to Understand Cyber Risks
-Cyber Criminals are Targeting Top Executives and Could be Using Sensitive Information to Extort Them
-Cyber Attacks Reach Fever Pitch in Q2 2023
-Ransomware Attacks Hit Record Levels in UK as More Companies Fail to Tackle Growing Threats
-Microsoft Warns of More Attacks as Ransomware Spreads Through Teams Phishing
-Europol - Financial Crime Makes “Billions” and Impacts “Millions”
-Almost One in Three Parents Have Never Spoken to Their Children About Cyber Security
-Hackers are Dropping USB Drives Outside Buildings to Target Networks
-Data Theft is Now the No. 1 Cyber Security Threat Keeping Execs Awake at Night
-If You Didn’t Change Your Passwords After the LastPass Data Breach, Do It Now
-Cloud Vulnerabilities Surge Nearly 200% as Cloud Credentials Become the New Hot Ticket on the Dark Web
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
Overconfident Organisations Prone to Cyber Breaches
A study found that 95% of UK enterprises were very confident or somewhat confident that they do not have gaps in their security controls, yet despite this, 69% have fallen victim to a cyber attack in the last two years. One of the reasons given for this false sense of confidence was the belief that more tools meant more security; worryingly, 45% of organisations struggled with the implementation of tools due to the need for expertise. Attackers are constantly adapting their tactics to bypass the security controls that most organisations implement. It is difficult for IT teams and business leaders to maintain an objective assessment of how effective their chosen security controls are against today’s attackers. Black Arrow provides the impartial and expert advice that businesses require, including a free initial assessment, with no vested interest other than helping our clients achieve pragmatic and proportionate security.
Source: [IT Security Guru]
Board Members Struggling to Understand Cyber Risks
Board members frequently struggle to understand cyber risks, putting businesses at higher risk of attacks, a new report has found. The report noted that Board interest is being piqued as a result of growing media reporting of cyber incidents, a heightened Board focus on operational resilience post-pandemic, investor pressure and a tightening regulatory environment.
Worryingly, despite the increase in interest and increased internal and external focus on cyber risk, a number of Board-level respondents reported that they felt scared or embarrassed to ask their CISO for fear of exposing their lack of understanding.
Source: [Infosecurity Magazine]
Cyber Criminals are Targeting Top Executives and Could be Using Sensitive Information to Extort Them
Senior executives in today's evolving work landscape face growing cyber security threats, including extortion and device theft. The rise of ‘workcations’, which blend work and leisure, has blurred professional and personal boundaries, exposing leaders to heightened risks, and necessitating a strong focus on cyber security.
These executives are particularly attractive targets due to their access to critical information and decision-making authority. To protect their organisations, they must prioritise robust security measures, such as stronger passwords, anti-theft safeguards for devices, multi factor authentication, and, where appropriate or necessary, the use of virtual private networks. As guardians of their businesses' well-being, executives carry the responsibility of upholding stringent cyber security practices, ensuring that the benefits of remote work do not compromise their organisations' security.
Source: [Fortune]
Cyber Attacks Reach Fever Pitch in Q2 2023
A report has found the global landscape of increasing digitisation, political unrest, the emergence of AI and the widespread adoption of work from home, have all contributed to an increase in attacks, which have increased 314% in the first half of this year compared the first half of 2022. Rather worryingly, between the first and second quarter this year, there was a 387% increase in activity.
Source: [Data Centre & Network News]
Ransomware Attacks Hit Record Levels in UK as More Companies Fail to Tackle Growing Threats
A report from the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) in the UK found ransomware attacks on UK organisations reached record levels last year, impacting over 700 organisations. This isn’t the true count though, as it does not factor the overwhelming majority of victims who do not report attacks, so the true number will be many times this. This increase comes as reports are finding that UK companies are struggling to address the growing threats, and this includes a lack of understanding at the Board level. In fact, 59% of directors say their Board is not very effective in understanding the drivers and impacts of cyber risks for their organisation.
Sources: [The Record] [The Fintech Times] [Financial Times]
Microsoft Warns of More Attacks as Ransomware Spreads Through Teams Phishing
Microsoft says an initial access broker known for working with ransomware groups has recently switched to Microsoft Teams phishing attacks to breach corporate networks. Referring to one of the groups, Microsoft said “In July 2023, Storm-0324 began using phishing lures sent over Teams with malicious links leading to a malicious SharePoint-hosted file,". This tactic has also been used by Russian Nation State Actors.
Source: [Bleeping Computer]
Europol - Financial Crime Makes “Billions” and Impacts “Millions”
The European policing alliance’s first ever European Financial and Economic Crime Threat Assessment was compiled from “operational insights and strategic intelligence” contributed by member states and Europol partners. The assessment highlighted a criminal economy worth billions of euros and that impacts millions of victims each year.
Source: [Infosecurity Magazine]
Almost One in Three Parents Have Never Spoken to Their Children About Cyber Security
A recent report found that 30% of parents have never spoken to their children about cyber security. Additionally, over 40% of parents, who themselves admitted that they didn’t know how to create strong passwords, still give their child access to their mobile phones and almost a third (32%) give them access to their computers. By doing so, parents are not only putting their children at risk, but inadvertently, themselves and the organisations they work for as well.
Black Arrow offers a range of training, including formal and informal training, for individuals, employees and business leaders. Contact us today for a free initial conversation.
Source: [IT Security Guru]
Hackers are Dropping USB Drives Outside Buildings to Target Networks
A mid-year cyber security report found that along with the explosive growth in AI, bad actors are still using tried and tested, but unfortunately still very effective, tactics such as dropping USB drives outside target buildings in the hope that an employee will pick them up and plug them into devices connected to the corporate network. Many times, these actors are banking on their targets lacking protections against these attacks. Think about your organisation, would someone plug a device they found in the street into their work computer out of curiosity? Does your organisation have controls in place to prevent this type of attack?
Source: [Tech Republic]
Data Theft is Now the No. 1 Cyber Security Threat Keeping Execs Awake at Night
According to a recent survey, 55% of IT decision-makers cited data theft as their main concern, with ransomware placed third, after phishing. This comes as ransomware attackers are moving towards more exfiltration-based techniques. Exfiltration creates a significant number of issues for an organisation including the regulatory requirements of telling customers, to not knowing what data has been exfiltrated.
Source: [Information Security Buzz]
If You Didn’t Change Your Passwords After the LastPass Data Breach, Do It Now
Criminals have had plenty of time to use encryption keys stolen in the 2022 LastPass hack to open vaults, and there has been a reported increase in the number of vaults that have been cracked. For those attackers that haven’t been able to crack your password, they're under no time constraints.
Whilst successful attackers may not directly target your email accounts, PayPal wallets, or banks, these assets can be packaged and sold to other criminal third parties. If any of the passwords stored in a LastPass vault prior to 2022 are still in use, you should change them immediately.
Source: [Make Use Of]
Cloud Vulnerabilities Surge Nearly 200% as Cloud Credentials Become the New Hot Ticket on the Dark Web
IBM tracked 632 new cloud-related vulnerabilities (CVEs) between June 2022 and June 2023, a 194% increase from the previous year, according to a new report. The latest haul of new CVEs brings the total number tracked by the vendor to 3,900; a number that has doubled since 2019. Similarly, a separate report from Palo Alto Networks found that 80% of security exposures exist in the cloud.
IBM highlighted that this has led to a number of cloud credentials being actively sold on the dark web, in some cases for the same price as a dozen doughnuts. These credentials are believed to account for almost 90% of goods and services for sale on the dark web.
Sources: [Infosecurity Magazine] [The Register] [TechTarget]
Governance, Risk and Compliance
Deputy PM urges UK plc not to lose focus on cyber | Computer Weekly
Overconfident Organisations Prone to Cyber Breaches, Study Finds - IT Security Guru
Global companies to hike security spending as threats rise - survey | Reuters
CISOs need to be forceful to gain leverage in the boardroom - Help Net Security
Don't Leave Cyber Security to Chance, the Hidden Risk when Staff Depart - IT Security Guru
Evaluating & Managing Service Provider Security Risks (in 2023) | UpGuard
Cyber Security risks dampen corporate enthusiasm for tech investments - Help Net Security
CISOs and Board Reporting – an Ongoing Problem - SecurityWeek
Threats
Ransomware, Extortion and Destructive Attacks
Ransomware attacks hit record level in UK, according to neglected official data (therecord.media)
Ransomware tracker: The latest figures [September 2023] (therecord.media)
Ransomware access broker steals accounts via Microsoft Teams phishing (bleepingcomputer.com)
Ransomware thrives as cyber security remains lax, says UK report | Financial Times (ft.com)
Rust-Written 3AM Ransomware: A Sneak Peek into a New Malware Family (thehackernews.com)
Ransomware in top three threats for 65% of organisations | Security Magazine
TrickBot & Conti Sanctions for CISOs & Board Members (trendmicro.com)
Don’t focus on ransomware variants, say UK’s national cyber and crime agencies (therecord.media)
Cuba Ransomware Gang Continues to Evolve With Dangerous Backdoor (darkreading.com)
Recent Rhysida Attacks Show Focus on Healthcare By Ransomware Actors (darkreading.com)
Ransomware Victims
A phone call to helpdesk was likely all it took to hack MGM | Ars Technica
MGM, Caesars File SEC Disclosures on Cyber Security Incidents (darkreading.com)
Caesars paid millions in ransom to cybercrime group prior to MGM hack – NECN
Group in Casino Hacks Skilled at Duping Workers for Access (1) (bloomberglaw.com)
Ransomware tracker: The latest figures [September 2023] (therecord.media)
Rhysida gang claims to have hacked three more US hospitals (securityaffairs.com)
Ransomware crew claims to have hit Save The Children • The Register
Shell says Australian unit BG Group hit by MOVEit cyber security breach | Reuters
Dutch football association pays ransom to Russian cyber criminals – EURACTIV.com
Cyber security incident affects services at The Weather Network | CFJC Today Kamloops
Phishing & Email Based Attacks
Email forwarding flaws enable attackers to impersonate high-profile domains - Help Net Security
Attackers Abuse Google Looker Studio to Evade DMARC, Email Security (darkreading.com)
$24 Million Worth of Crypto Wiped out Overnight in Massive Phishing Attack
Thousands of Microsoft 365 accounts under threat from W3LL phishing kit | TechRadar
Ransomware access broker steals accounts via Microsoft Teams phishing (bleepingcomputer.com)
Facebook Messenger phishing wave targets 100K business accounts per week (bleepingcomputer.com)
Journalists, authors, and other writers targeted by phishing emails | TechRadar
Associated Press Stylebook Users Targeted in Phishing Attack Following Data Breach - SecurityWeek
How should SMBs navigate the phishing minefield? - Help Net Security
Other Social Engineering; Smishing, Vishing, etc
Understanding the dangers of social engineering - Help Net Security
How to Avoid Smishing Attacks Targeting Subscription Service Users (securityintelligence.com)
Artificial Intelligence
Cyber Criminals Feasting On Artificial Intelligence (forbes.com)
ChatGPT Jailbreaking Forums Proliferate in Dark Web Communities (darkreading.com)
Cloud security in the era of artificial intelligence (securityintelligence.com)
Deepfake cyberthreats keep rising. Here's how to prevent them - SiliconANGLE
2FA/MFA
Malware
Microsoft Teams phishing attack pushes DarkGate malware (bleepingcomputer.com)
Millions of Facebook Business Accounts Bitten by Python Malware (darkreading.com)
Free Download Manager site redirected Linux users to malware for years (bleepingcomputer.com)
Protecting Your Microsoft IIS Servers Against Malware Attacks (thehackernews.com)
3 Strategies to Defend Against Resurging Infostealers (darkreading.com)
New HijackLoader Modular Malware Loader Making Waves in the Cybercrime World (thehackernews.com)
Iranian hackers backdoor 34 orgs with new Sponsor malware (bleepingcomputer.com)
'Steal-It' Campaign Uses OnlyFans Models as Lures (darkreading.com)
Sponsor with batch-filed whiskers: Ballistic Bobcat’s scan and strike backdoor (welivesecurity.com)
Cybersecurity alert: Malware hidden in Microsoft Teams messages targeting users - OnMSFT.com
Iranian Cyberspies Deployed New Backdoor to 34 Organizations - SecurityWeek
Mobile
'Evil Telegram' Spyware Campaign Infects 60K+ Mobile Users (darkreading.com)
France halts iPhone 12 sales over radiation levels - BBC News
Denial of Service/DoS/DDOS
Massive DDoS attack on US financial company thwarted by cyber firm (therecord.media)
Akamai prevented largest DDoS attack on a US financial company (securityaffairs.com)
After Microsoft and X, Hackers Launch DDoS Attack on Telegram - SecurityWeek
Yukon gov't website back after cyber attack, Nunavut gov't site still down | CBC News
Internet of Things – IoT
Co-op to ban Chinese CCTV after security risk warnings (telegraph.co.uk)
Wyze security camera owners report seeing strangers' camera feeds | Mashable
Hackers will hack anything — including your sex toys - The Hustle
Data Breaches/Leaks
Overconfident Organisations Prone to Cyber Breaches, Study Finds - IT Security Guru
LastPass Hackers Cracking Password Vaults - Experts Warns - Cyber Kendra
Dymocks Booksellers suffers data breach impacting 836k customers (bleepingcomputer.com)
How Do Hackers Sell and Trade Your Data in the Metaverse? (makeuseof.com)
Capita class action: 2,000 sign up in wake of data theft • The Register
Airbus data leaked via infected customer computer • The Register
Threat actor leaks sensitive data belonging to Airbus (securityaffairs.com)
Organised Crime & Criminal Actors
How Next-Gen Threats Are Taking a Page From APTs - SecurityWeek
How Do Hackers Sell and Trade Your Data in the Metaverse? (makeuseof.com)
Europol's spotlight report sheds light on evolving cyber attacks (amlintelligence.com)
Cyber criminals Use Webex Brand to Target Corporate Users (darkreading.com)
Cryptocurrency/Cryptomining/Cryptojacking/NFTs/Blockchain
Top blockchain Cyber security threats to watch out for (att.com)
$24 Million Worth of Crypto Wiped out Overnight in Massive Phishing Attack
Blockchain Security Firm Unveils APT Attack by Lazarus Group - DailyCoin
Hackers steal $53 million worth of cryptocurrency from CoinEx (bleepingcomputer.com)
Cryptoqueen: Accomplice jailed for 20 years for OneCoin financial scam - BBC News
Insider Risk and Insider Threats
Fraud, Scams & Financial Crime
Latest fraud schemes targeting the payments ecosystem - Help Net Security
Cryptoqueen: Accomplice jailed for 20 years for OneCoin financial scam - BBC News
Glasgow firm issues warning following recent cyber attack | Glasgow Times
Impersonation Attacks
Email forwarding flaws enable attackers to impersonate high-profile domains - Help Net Security
Cyber criminals Use Webex Brand to Target Corporate Users (darkreading.com)
Deepfakes
AML/CFT/Sanctions
Insurance
Dark Web
ChatGPT Jailbreaking Forums Proliferate in Dark Web Communities (darkreading.com)
Cloud credentials are the hot ticket item on the dark web • The Register
Supply Chain and Third Parties
Evaluating & Managing Service Provider Security Risks (in 2023) | UpGuard
Airbus Cyber Attack: Over 3,200 Vendor Data Accessed by Hackers (cybersecuritynews.com)
Capita class action: 2,000 sign up in wake of data theft • The Register
The rise and evolution of supply chain attacks - Help Net Security
A 2-Week Prescription for Eliminating Supply Chain Threats (darkreading.com)
Cloud/SaaS
Thousands of Microsoft 365 accounts under threat from W3LL phishing kit | TechRadar
7 Steps to Kickstart Your SaaS Security Program (thehackernews.com)
Cloud storage security: What's new in the threat matrix | Microsoft Security Blog
Cloud CVEs Surge 200% in a Year - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)
Cloud credentials are the hot ticket item on the dark web • The Register
Palo Alto Networks: 80% of security exposures exist in cloud | TechTarget
Cloud security in the era of artificial intelligence (securityintelligence.com)
Containers
Kubernetes Admins Warned to Patch Clusters Against New RCE Vulns (darkreading.com)
Alert: New Kubernetes Vulnerabilities Enable Remote Attacks on Windows Endpoints (thehackernews.com)
Identity and Access Management
Root Admin User: When Do Common Usernames Pose a Threat? (databreachtoday.co.uk)
Companies need to rethink how they implement identity security - Help Net Security
Enterprises persist with outdated authentication strategies - Help Net Security
Why Identity Management Is the Key to Stopping APT Cyber Attacks (darkreading.com)
Encryption
API
How to Prevent API Breaches: A Guide to Robust Security (thehackernews.com)
Elevating API security to reinforce cyber defence - Help Net Security
Machine Learning is a Must for API Security - IT Security Guru
Open Source
Free Download Manager site redirected Linux users to malware for years (bleepingcomputer.com)
Linux Malware! Read This If You Use Free Download Manager (itsfoss.com)
Passwords, Credential Stuffing & Brute Force Attacks
If You Didn’t Change Your Passwords After the LastPass Data Breach, Do It Now (makeuseof.com)
Root Admin User: When Do Common Usernames Pose a Threat? (databreachtoday.co.uk)
New WiKI-Eve attack can steal numerical passwords over WiFi (bleepingcomputer.com)
Wi-Fi radio signal data can be used 'to predict passwords' • The Register
Cloud credentials are the hot ticket item on the dark web • The Register
Iranian hackers breach defence orgs in password spray attacks (bleepingcomputer.com)
Social Media
Facebook Messenger phishing wave targets 100K business accounts per week (bleepingcomputer.com)
After Microsoft and X, Hackers Launch DDoS Attack on Telegram - SecurityWeek
How Do Hackers Sell and Trade Your Data in the Metaverse? (makeuseof.com)
Millions of Facebook Business Accounts Bitten by Python Malware (darkreading.com)
Training, Education and Awareness
How to Transform Security Awareness Into Security Culture (darkreading.com)
Elevating Cyber Awareness: A Strategic Approach (informationweek.com)
How end-user phishing training works (and why it doesn’t) (bleepingcomputer.com)
Great security training is a real challenge - Help Net Security
Digital Transformation
Parental Controls and Child Safety
Cyber Bullying, Cyber Stalking and Sextortion
Regulations, Fines and Legislation
SEC Issues Final Rules on Cyber Security Disclosures | Kelley Drye & Warren LLP - JDSupra
What Makes an Incident ‘Material’? | Calloquy, PBC - JDSupra
The International Criminal Court will now prosecute cyberwar crimes | Ars Technica
Preparing For Cyber Security Disclosures Set For Public Companies (forbes.com)
Models, Frameworks and Standards
Backup and Recovery
How to develop a cloud backup ransomware protection strategy | TechTarget
How To Backup Data From NAS: A Complete Guide (informationsecuritybuzz.com)
Data Protection
Careers, Working in Cyber and Information Security
Cyber Security Skills Gap: Roadies & Gamers Are Untapped Talent (darkreading.com)
Three ways to overcome cyber security staff shortages (securitybrief.co.nz)
Privacy, Surveillance and Mass Monitoring
Nation State Actors, Advanced Persistent Threats (APTs), Cyber Warfare and Cyber Espionage
Russia
China
Risk & Repeat: Big questions remain on Storm-0558 attacks | TechTarget
Parliamentary researcher ‘who spied for China’ arrested | UK news | The Guardian
Arrest of alleged spy raises questions around UK’s China policy | Financial Times (ft.com)
Microsoft, Apple versus China, spyware actors (techrepublic.com)
Co-op to ban Chinese CCTV after security risk warnings (telegraph.co.uk)
Spies, Hackers, Informants: How China Snoops on the West - SecurityWeek
China caught with its malware in another nation's power grid • The Register
China Threat Recap: A Deeper Insight (informationsecuritybuzz.com)
Iran
Iranian hackers backdoor 34 orgs with new Sponsor malware (bleepingcomputer.com)
‘Scan-and-exploit’ campaign snares unpatched Exchange servers | SC Media (scmagazine.com)
North Korea
Misc Nation State/Cyber Warfare
Vulnerability Management
Severe vulnerability found in all browsers, and it's being attacked | PCWorldOvercoming the Rising Threat of Session Hijacking (darkreading.com)
Cloud CVEs Surge 200% in a Year - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)
With 0-days hitting Chrome, iOS, and dozens more this month, is no software safe? | Ars Technica
Vulnerabilities
Microsoft September 2023 Patch Tuesday fixes 2 zero-days, 59 flaws (bleepingcomputer.com)
Unpatched Cisco ASA flaw exploited by attackers (CVE-2023-20269) - Help Net Security
Severe vulnerability found in all browsers, and it's being attacked | PCWorld
After Apple and Google, Mozilla Also Patches Zero-Day Exploited for Spyware Delivery - SecurityWeek
Notepad++ 8.5.7 released with fixes for four security vulnerabilities (bleepingcomputer.com)
Adobe warns of critical Acrobat and Reader zero-day exploited in attacks (bleepingcomputer.com)
Alert: New Kubernetes Vulnerabilities Enable Remote Attacks on Windows Endpoints (thehackernews.com)
Cisco warns of VPN zero-day exploited by ransomware gangs (bleepingcomputer.com)
Cloud CVEs Surge 200% in a Year - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)
Tools and Controls
Global companies to hike security spending as threats rise - survey | Reuters
Don't Leave Cyber Security to Chance, the Hidden Risk when Staff Depart - IT Security Guru
What Is XDR and Why It's Changing the Security Industry - ReadWrite
Remote Desktop Protocol exposures leave 85% of organisations vulnerable to attack - SiliconANGLE
The Dark Web Is Expanding (As Is the Value of Monitoring It) (darkreading.com)
How to Prevent API Breaches: A Guide to Robust Security (thehackernews.com)
Elevating Cyber Awareness: A Strategic Approach (informationweek.com)
Great security training is a real challenge - Help Net Security
Companies need to rethink how they implement identity security - Help Net Security
Enterprises persist with outdated authentication strategies - Help Net Security
Why Identity Management Is the Key to Stopping APT Cyber Attacks (darkreading.com)
Easy Configuration Fixes Can Protect Your Server from Attack (securityintelligence.com)
Other News
The Weaponization of Operational Technology (securityintelligence.com)
ICS Computers in Western Countries See Increasing Attacks: Report - SecurityWeek
Cyber Trends: The Gunpowder of the Twenty-First Century (e-ir.info)
The 9 Top Technology Trends That Are Shaping the Future of Cyber Security (makeuseof.com)
The Cyber Security Risks In Education Cannot Be Ignored (forbes.com)
A new Repojacking attack exposed over 4,000 GitHub repositories to hack (securityaffairs.com)
Cyber attacks reach fever pitch in Q2 2023 - Data Centre & Network News (dcnnmagazine.com)
Rising OT/ICS cyber security incidents reveal alarming trend - Help Net Security
Brits happy to break cyber law if the price is right | Computer Weekly
British Military Hit by Six Million Cyber Attacks in 2022 (thedefensepost.com)
Trustwave report on hospitality industry security threats | Cyber Magazine
Cyber security impact on construction, engineering projects (csemag.com)
Cyber criminals come for schools — and schools aren’t ready (hechingerreport.org)
Professional Sports: The Next Frontier of Cyber Security? (darkreading.com)
How Dangerous Is the Cyber Attack Risk to Transportation? (securityintelligence.com)
Poison in the Water: The Physical Repercussions of IoT Security Threats (securityintelligence.com)
Australia Inc roiled by raft of cyber attacks since late 2022 | Reuters
Death by digital: attacks on healthcare put people at risk (synack.com)
Sector Specific
Industry specific threat intelligence reports are available.
Contact us to receive tailored reports specific to the industry/sector and geographies you operate in.
· Automotive
· Construction
· Critical National Infrastructure (CNI)
· Defence & Space
· Education & Academia
· Energy & Utilities
· Estate Agencies
· Financial Services
· FinTech
· Food & Agriculture
· Gaming & Gambling
· Government & Public Sector (including Law Enforcement)
· Health/Medical/Pharma
· Hotels & Hospitality
· Insurance
· Legal
· Manufacturing
· Maritime
· Oil, Gas & Mining
· OT, ICS, IIoT, SCADA & Cyber-Physical Systems
· Retail & eCommerce
· Small and Medium Sized Businesses (SMBs)
· Startups
· Telecoms
· Third Sector & Charities
· Transport & Aviation
· Web3
As usual, contact us to help assess where your risks lie and to ensure you are doing all you can do to keep you and your business secure.
Look out for our ‘Cyber Tip Tuesday’ video blog and on our YouTube channel.
You can also follow us on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.
Links to articles are for interest and awareness and linking to or reposting external content does not endorse any service or product, likewise we are not responsible for the security of external links.
Black Arrow Cyber Threat Briefing 14 July 2023
Black Arrow Cyber Threat Briefing 14 July 2023:
-Cyber Attacks Are a War We'll Never Win, but We Can Defend Ourselves
-Helping Boards Understand Cyber Risks
-Enterprise Risk Management Should Inform Cyber Risk Strategies
-Law Firms at High Risk of Attack as Ransomware Groups Begin to Focus Attention
-20% of Malware Attacks Bypass Antivirus Protection
-Ransomware Payments and Extortion Spiked Compared to 2022
-AI, Trust, and Data Security are Key Issues for Finance Firms and Their Customers
-Caution: Microsoft Warns of Office Zero-Day Attacks with No Patch Available
-Scam Page Volumes Surge 304% Annually
-Financial Industry Faces Soaring Ransomware Threat
-The Need for Risk-Based Vulnerability Management to Combat Threats
-Government Agencies Breached in Microsoft 365 Email Attacks
-Concerns Raised as Report Questions UK’s “Completely Inadequate” Defence to Threats from China
-Hackers Backed by North Korea have Stolen Billions of Dollars Over the Last Five Years
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 Are a War We'll Never Win, But We Can Defend Ourselves
The cyber threat landscape is constantly evolving, with hackers becoming more creative in their exploitation of businesses and personal data. As the frequency and sophistication of cyber attacks increase, it's clear that the cyber security war is an endless series of battles that demand constant innovation and vigilance. Recognising the necessity of having built-in security, organisations should integrate security measures into their systems and foster a culture of security awareness.
Acknowledging that breaches are an inevitable risk, an orchestrated team response, well-practiced recovery plan, and effective communication strategy are key to managing crises. Organisations must also invest in proactive security measures, including emerging technologies to spot intrusions early. Ultimately, cyber security isn't just a technical concern, it's a cultural and organisational imperative, requiring the incorporation of security measures into every aspect of an organisation's operations and philosophy.
Helping Boards Understand Cyber Risks
A difference in perspective is a fundamental reason board members and the cyber security team are not always aligned. Board members typically have a much broader view of the organisation’s goals, strategies, and overall risk landscape, where CISOs are responsible for assessing and mitigating cyber security risk.
It’s often a result of the board lacking cyber security expertise among its members, the complexity with understanding the topic and CISOs who focus too heavily on technical language during their discussions with the board which can cause a differing perspective. For organisations to be most effective in their approach to cyber security, they should hire CISOs or vCISOs who wear more than one hat and are able to understand cyber in context to the business. In addition, having cyber expertise on the board will pay dividends; this can be achieved by direct hiring or upskilling of board members.
Black Arrow supports clients as their vCISO or Non-Executive Director (NED) with specialist experience in cyber security risk management in a business context.
https://www.helpnetsecurity.com/2023/07/11/david-christensen-plansource-board-ciso-communication/
Enterprise Risk Management Should Inform Cyber Risk Strategies
While executives and boards once viewed cyber security as a primarily technical concern, many now recognise it as a major business issue. A single serious data breach could result in debilitating operational disruptions, financial losses, reputational damage, and regulatory penalties.
Cyber security focuses on protecting digital assets from threats, while enterprise risk management adopts a wider approach, mitigating diverse risks across several domains beyond the digital sphere. Rather than existing in siloes, enterprise risk management and cyber risk management strategies should complement and inform each other. By integrating cyber security into their risk management frameworks, organisations can more efficiently and effectively protect their most valuable digital assets.
Law Firms at High Risk of Attack as Ransomware Groups Begin to Focus Attention
Three of the largest US law firms have been newly hit by the Cl0p cyber syndicate as part of dozens of ransomware attacks across industries that so far have affected more than 16 million people. All three law firms feature on Cl0p’s leak site, which lists organisations who Cl0p have breached.
This comes as the UK National Cyber Security (NCSC) noted in a report the threat to the legal sector. Law firms are a particularly attractive target for the depth of sensitive personal information they hold from individuals and companies, plus the dual threat of publishing it publicly should a ransom demand go unmet. In Australia, law firm HWL Ebsworth confirmed several documents relating to its work with several Victorian Government departments and agencies had been released by cyber criminals to the dark web following a data breach announced in April 2023.
The extortion of law firms allows extra opportunities for an attacker, including exploiting opportunities for insider trading, gaining the upper hand in negotiations and litigation, or subverting the course of justice. Based on the above, it is no wonder the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) in the UK found that 75% of the law firms they visited has been a victim of a cyber attack.
https://www.helpnetsecurity.com/2023/07/10/law-firm-cyberattack/
20% of Malware Attacks Bypass Antivirus Protection
In the first half of 2023, researchers found that 20% of all recaptured malware logs had an antivirus program installed at the time of successful malware execution. Not only did these solutions not prevent the attack, they also lack the automated ability to protect against any stolen data that can be used in the aftermath.
The researchers found that the common entry points for malware are permitting employees to sync browser data between personal and professional devices (57%), struggling with shadow IT due to employees' unauthorised use of applications and systems (54%), and allowing unmanaged personal or shared devices to access business applications (36%).
Such practices expose organisations to subsequent attacks, like ransomware, resulting from stolen access credentials. Malware detection and quick action on exposures are critical; however, many organisations struggle with response and recovery with many firms failing to have robust incident response plans.
https://www.helpnetsecurity.com/2023/07/13/malware-infections-responses/
Ransomware Payments and Extortion Spiked Compared to 2022
A recent report from Chainalysis found that ransomware activity is on track to break previous records, having extorted at least $449.1 million through June. For all of 2022, that number didn’t even reach $500 million. Similarly, a separate report using research statistics from Action Fraud UK, the UK’s national reporting centre for fraud, found cyber extortion cases surged 39% annually.
It’s no wonder both are on the rise, as the commonly used method of encrypting data behind a ransom is being combined with threatening to leak data; this gives bad actors two opportunities to gain payment. With this, the worry about the availability of your data now extends to the confidentiality and integrity of it.
https://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/news/cyber-extortion-cases-surge-39/
AI, Trust, and Data Security are Key Issues for Finance Firms and Their Customers
Business leaders have been warned to expect more instability and uncertainly following on from the unpredictable nature of events during the past few years, from COVID-19 to business restructurings, the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the rise of generative artificial intelligence (AI). A recent report found that customers feel they lack appropriate guidance from their financial providers during times of economic uncertainty; the lack of satisfactory experience and a desire for a better digital experience is causing 25% of customers to switch banks.
The report also found that 23% of customers do not trust AI and 56% are neutral. This deficit in trust can swing in either direction based on how Financial Services Institutions (FSIs) use and deliver AI-powered services. While the benefits of AI are unclear, an increased awareness of personal data security has made trust between providers and customers more crucial than ever. In fact, 78% of customers say they would switch financial service providers if they felt their data was mishandled.
Caution: Microsoft Warns of Office Zero-Day Attacks with No Patch Available
Russian spies and cyber criminals are actively exploiting still-unpatched security flaws in Microsoft Windows and Office products, according to an urgent warning from Microsoft. While Microsoft recently released patches for 130 vulnerabilities, including 9 criticals, 6 which are actively being exploited (see our advisory here), a series of remote code execution vulnerabilities were not addressed, and attackers have been actively exploiting them because the patches are not yet available.
An attacker could create a specially crafted Microsoft Office document that enables them to perform remote code execution in the context of the victim. All an attacker would have to do is to convince the victim to open the malicious file. Microsoft have stated that a security update may be released out of cycle to address these flaws.
https://www.securityweek.com/microsoft-warns-of-office-zero-day-attacks-no-patch-available/
Scam Page Volumes Surge 304% Annually
Security researchers have recorded a 62% year-on-year increase in phishing websites and a 304% surge in scam pages in 2022. The Digital Risk Trends 2023 report classifies phishing as a threat resulting in the theft of personal information and a scam as any attempt to trick a victim into voluntarily handing over money or sensitive information.
It found that the average number of instances in which a brand’s image and logo was appropriated for use in scam campaigns increased 162% YoY, rising to 211% in APAC. Scams are also becoming more automated, as the ever-increasing number of new tools available to would-be cyber criminals has lowered the barrier of entry. We expect to see AI also play a greater role in scams in the future.
https://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/news/scam-page-volumes-surge-304/
Financial Industry Faces Soaring Ransomware Threat
The financial industry has been facing a surge in ransomware attacks over the past few years, said cyber security provider SOCRadar in a threat analysis post. This trend started in the first half of 2021, when Trend Micro saw a staggering 1,318% increase in ransomware attacks targeting banks and financial institutions compared to the same period in 2020. Sophos also found that over half (55%) of financial service firms fell victim to at least one ransomware attack in 2021, a 62% increase from 2020.
https://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/news/financial-industry-faces-soaring/
The Need for Risk-Based Vulnerability Management to Combat Threats
Cyber attacks are increasing as the number of vulnerabilities found in software has increased by over 50% in the last 5 years. This is a result of unpatched and poorly configured systems as 75% of organisations believe they are vulnerable to a cyber attack due to unpatched software. As vulnerabilities continue to rise and security evolves, it is becoming increasingly apparent that conventional vulnerability management programs are inadequate for managing the expanding attack surface. In comparison, a risk-based strategy enables organisations to assess the level of risk posed by vulnerabilities. This approach allows teams to prioritise vulnerabilities based on their assessed risk levels and remediate those with higher risks, minimising potential attacks in a way that is continuous, and automated.
By enhancing your vulnerability risk management process, you will be able to proactively address potential issues before they escalate and maintain a proactive stance in managing vulnerabilities and cloud security. Through the incorporation of automated threat intelligence risk monitoring, you will be able to identify significant risks before they become exploitable.
Government Agencies Breached in Microsoft 365 Email Attacks
Microsoft disclosed an attack against customer email accounts that affected US government agencies and led to stolen data. While questions remain about the attacks, Microsoft provided some details in two blog posts on Tuesday, including attribution to a China-based threat actor it tracks as Storm-0558. The month long intrusion began on 15 May and was first reported to Microsoft by a federal civilian executive branch (FCEB) agency in June.
Microsoft said attackers gained access to approximately 25 organisations, including government agencies. While Microsoft has mitigated the attack vector, the US Government Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) was first to initially detect the suspicious activity. The government agency published an advisory that included an attack timeline, technical details and mitigation recommendations. CISA said an FCEB agency discovered suspicious activity in its Microsoft 365 (M365) environment sometime last month.
Concerns Raised as Report Questions UK’s “Completely Inadequate” Defence to Threats from China
Britain’s spy watchdog has slammed the UK Government for a “completely inadequate” response to Chinese espionage and interference which risked an “existential threat to liberal democratic systems”. In a bombshell 207 page report, Parliament’s Intelligence and Security Committee issued a series of alarming warnings about how British universities, the nuclear sector, Government and organisations alike were being targeted by China.
Hackers Backed by North Korea have Stolen Billions of Dollars Over the Last Five Years
Hackers have developed a list of sophisticated tricks that allow them to weasel their way into the networks of possible targets, including organisations. Sometimes a North Korean hacker would pose as a recruitment officer to get an employee’s attention. The cyber criminal would then share an infected file with the unsuspecting company employee. This was the case of the famous 2021’s Axie Infinity hack that allowed the North Koreans to steal more than $600 million after one of the game developers was offered a fake job by the hackers.
https://www.pandasecurity.com/en/mediacenter/security/north-korea-stolen-crypto/
Governance, Risk and Compliance
CISO perspective on why boards don't fully grasp cyber attack risks - Help Net Security
Top Takeaways From Table Talks With Fortune 100 CISOs (darkreading.com)
AI, trust, and data security are key issues for finance firms and their customers | ZDNET
Cyber Attacks Are a War We'll Never Win, but We Can Defend Ourselves (darkreading.com)
Exposure Management Looks to Attack Paths, Identity to Better Measure Risk (darkreading.com)
Enterprise risk management should inform cyber-risk strategies | TechTarget
Threats
Ransomware, Extortion and Destructive Attacks
Cl0p Hackers Hit Three of the Biggest US Law Firms in Large Ransomware Attack - MSSP Alert
UK battles hacking wave as ransomware gang claims ‘biggest ever’ NHS breach | TechCrunch
Cl0p has yet to deploy ransomware while exploiting MOVEit zero-day | SC Media (scmagazine.com)
Banks, hotels and hospitals among latest MOVEit mass-hack victims | TechCrunch
Cyber Extortion Cases Surge 39% Annually - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)
Ransomware payments on record-breaking trajectory for 2023 (bleepingcomputer.com)
Beware of Big Head Ransomware: Spreading Through Fake Windows Updates (thehackernews.com)
Deutsche Bank confirms provider breach exposed customer data (bleepingcomputer.com)
BigHead and RedEnergy ransomware, more MOVEIt problems (cisoseries.com)
Cl0p hacker operating from Russia-Ukraine war front line-Security Affairs
Same code, different ransomware? Leaks kick-start myriad of new variants - Help Net Security
Rogue IT security worker who impersonated ransomware gang is sentenced to jail • Graham Cluley
BlackByte 2.0 Ransomware: Infiltrate, Encrypt, and Extort in Just 5 Days (thehackernews.com)
Ransomware Victims
Capita admits hackers also stole staff’s personal details (thetimes.co.uk)
Banks, hotels and hospitals among latest MOVEit mass-hack victims | TechCrunch
Royal Navy contractor forced to pay off cyber criminals (telegraph.co.uk)
Barts NHS hack leaves folks on tenterhooks over extortion • The Register
Scottish university cyber attack under investigation | The National
Phishing & Email Based Attacks
New Phishing Attack Spoofs Microsoft 365 Authentication System (hackread.com)
Number of email-based phishing attacks surges 464% - Help Net Security
Chinese hackers compromised emails of US Government agencies- -Security Affairs
Microsoft: Government agencies breached in email attacks | TechTarget
RomCom hackers target NATO Summit attendees in phishing attacks (bleepingcomputer.com)Facebook and Microsoft remain prime targets for spoofing - Help Net Security
Top 10 Email Security Best Practices in 2023 (gbhackers.com)
Other Social Engineering; Smishing, Vishing, etc
Vishing Goes High-Tech: New 'Letscall' Malware Employs Voice Traffic Routing (thehackernews.com)
Evil QR - A new QR Jacking Attack to Take Over User Accounts (cybersecuritynews.com)
How hackers are now targeting your voice and how to protect yourself | Fox News
Artificial Intelligence
How the EU AI Act Will Affect Businesses, Cyber Security (darkreading.com)
Vishing Goes High-Tech: New 'Letscall' Malware Employs Voice Traffic Routing (thehackernews.com)
ChatGPT and Cyber Security : 5 Cyber Security Risks of ChatGPT (gbhackers.com)
WormGPT Cyber Crime Tool Heralds an Era of AI Malware vs. AI Defences (darkreading.com)
How to Safely Architect AI in Your Cyber Security Programs (darkreading.com)
ChatGPT users drop for the first time as people turn to uncensored chatbots | Ars Technica
Secretaries of State brace for wave of AI-fueled disinformation during 2024 campaign | CyberScoop
Civil society, labor and rights groups express concerns about AI at White House meeting | CyberScoop
2FA/MFA
Malware
20% of malware attacks bypass antivirus protection - Help Net Security
Malware delivery to Microsoft Teams users made easy - Help Net Security
WormGPT Cyber Crime Tool Heralds an Era of AI Malware vs. AI Defences (darkreading.com)
Truebot Malware Variants Abound, According to CISA Advisory (darkreading.com)
Hackers Exploit Windows Policy Loophole to Forge Kernel-Mode Driver Signatures (thehackernews.com)
USB drive malware attacks spiking again in first half of 2023 (bleepingcomputer.com)
Charming Kitten hackers use new ‘NokNok’ malware for macOS (bleepingcomputer.com)
Banking Firms Under Attack by Sophisticated 'Toitoin' Campaign (darkreading.com)
Over 100 malicious signed Windows drivers blocked by Microsoft - NotebookCheck.net News
New 'ShadowVault' macOS malware steals passwords, crypto, credit card data | Macworld
BlackLotus UEFI Bootkit Source Code Leaked on GitHub - SecurityWeek
PicassoLoader Malware Used in Ongoing Attacks on Ukraine and Poland (thehackernews.com)
AVrecon malware infects 70,0000 Linux routers to build botnet (bleepingcomputer.com)
Serious Security: Rowhammer returns to gaslight your computer – Naked Security (sophos.com)
Linux Hacker Exploits Researchers With Fake PoCs Posted to GitHub (darkreading.com)
Mobile
Crooks Evolve Antidetect Tooling for Mobile OS-Based Fraud-Security Affairs
The FCC aims to stop SIM swappers with new rules - The Verge
Google Play will enforce business checks to curb malware submissions (bleepingcomputer.com)
Clever Letscall vishing malware targets Android phones | SC Media (scmagazine.com)
Denial of Service/DoS/DDOS
Industry responses and strategies for navigating the tides of DDoS attacks - Help Net Security
Archive Of Our Own Down: AO3 DDoS Attack Explained - Dataconomy
Internet of Things – IoT
Data Breaches/Leaks
So you gave personal info to a company caught in a data breach. Now what? | CBC News
HCA confirms breach after hacker steals data of 11 million patients (bleepingcomputer.com)
US on Track For Record Number of Data Breaches - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)
Twitter User Exposes Nickelodeon Data Leak - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)
Capita attackers reportedly stole data from pension fund • The Register
Twenty Manx public authorities reprimanded for data breach - BBC News
Bangladesh government website leaked data of millions of citizens-Security Affairs
Organised Crime & Criminal Actors
Cryptocurrency/Cryptomining/Cryptojacking/NFTs/Blockchain
Cyber security professional accused of stealing $9M in crypto | TechCrunch
SCARLETEEL Cryptojacking Campaign Exploiting AWS Fargate in Ongoing Campaign (thehackernews.com)
Insider Risk and Insider Threats
How To Protect Your Business From The Security Risks Freelancers Pose (forbes.com)
Former employee charged for attacking water treatment plant (bleepingcomputer.com)
Rogue IT security worker who impersonated ransomware gang is sentenced to jail • Graham Cluley
Fraud, Scams & Financial Crime
E-commerce Fraud Surges By Over 50% Annually - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)
Scam Page Volumes Surge 304% Annually - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)
The FCC aims to stop SIM swappers with new rules - The Verge
Insurance
Dark Web
Supply Chain and Third Parties
Royal Navy contractor forced to pay off cyber criminals (telegraph.co.uk)
Capita attackers reportedly stole data from pension fund • The Register
MOVEit: Testing the Limits of Supply Chain Security - SecurityWeek
Cloud/SaaS
Only 45% of cloud data is currently encrypted - Help Net Security
Microsoft alleges China behind attack on Exchange Online • The Register
For stronger public cloud data security, use defence in depth | TechTarget
Silentbob Campaign: Cloud-Native Environments Under Attack (thehackernews.com)
Global Retailers Must Keep an Eye on Their SaaS Stack (thehackernews.com)
SCARLETEEL Cryptojacking Campaign Exploiting AWS Fargate in Ongoing Campaign (thehackernews.com)
Decentralized storage emerging as solution to cloud-based attacks | Cybernews
Hybrid/Remote Working
Attack Surface Management
Identity and Access Management
Why Hybrid Work Has Made Secure Access So Complicated (darkreading.com)
less than half of SMBs use Privileged Access Management- IT Security Guru
Encryption
API
Cisco SD-WAN vManage impacted by unauthenticated REST API access (bleepingcomputer.com)
API Flaw in QuickBlox Framework Exposed PII of Millions of Users - SecurityWeek
Open Source
Novel Linux kernel vulnerability exploitable for elevated privileges | SC Media (scmagazine.com)
The EU’s Product Liability Directive could kill open source | TechRadar
Linux Hacker Exploits Researchers With Fake PoCs Posted to GitHub (darkreading.com)
AVrecon malware infects 70,0000 Linux routers to build botnet (bleepingcomputer.com)
Passwords, Credential Stuffing & Brute Force Attacks
Social Media
Critical Vulnerability Can Allow Takeover of Mastodon Servers - SecurityWeek
Mastodon Patches 4 Bugs, but Is the Twitter Killer Safe to Use? (darkreading.com)
Travel
Regulations, Fines and Legislation
How the EU AI Act Will Affect Businesses, Cyber security (darkreading.com)
A Cyber Security Wish List Ahead of NATO Summit - SecurityWeek
The EU’s Product Liability Directive could kill open source | TechRadar
Microsoft and AWS caution Ofcom against referring UK cloud market over to CMA | Computer Weekly
Models, Frameworks and Standards
How to map security gaps to the Mitre ATT&CK framework | TechTarget
Get started: Threat modeling with the Mitre ATT&CK framework | TechTarget
Data Protection
Careers, Working in Cyber and Information Security
Law Enforcement Action and Take Downs
Privacy, Surveillance and Mass Monitoring
Misinformation, Disinformation and Propaganda
Nation State Actors, Advanced Persistent Threats (APTs), Cyber Warfare and Cyber Espionage
Russia
Storm-0978 attacks reveal financial and espionage motives | Microsoft Security Blog
Russia-based actor exploited unpatched Office zero day | TechTarget
SolarWinds Attackers Dangle BMWs to Spy on Diplomats (darkreading.com)
Russian state hackers lure Western diplomats with BMW car ads (bleepingcomputer.com)
Killnet Tries Building Russian Hacktivist Clout With Media Stunts (darkreading.com)
Cl0p hacker operating from Russia-Ukraine war front line-Security Affairs
Killer ‘tracked Russian sub commander using Strava jogging app’ (thetimes.co.uk)
Inside the murky world accelerating Russia’s economic meltdown (telegraph.co.uk)
Cyber attacks Against Ukrainians Adjoin NATO Summit in Lithuania - MSSP Alert
Russian Hackers Find Sneaky Way to Infiltrate Embassy Networks in Kyiv (kyivpost.com)
PicassoLoader Malware Used in Ongoing Attacks on Ukraine and Poland (thehackernews.com)
China
Chinese hackers compromised emails of US Government agencies-Security Affairs
UK has ‘no strategy’ to tackle China threat as spies target Britain, report warns | The Independent
Cabinet tensions emerge over labelling China a threat to UK national security (inews.co.uk)
Iran
North Korea
Vulnerability Management
CVSS 4.0 released, to help assess real-time threat and impact of vulnerabilities - Help Net Security
The Need for Risk-Based Vulnerability Management to Combat Threats (bleepingcomputer.com)
Creating a Patch Management Playbook: 6 Key Questions (darkreading.com)
Close Security Gaps with Continuous Threat Exposure Management (thehackernews.com)
Vulnerabilities
MOVEit Transfer customers warned to patch new critical flaw (bleepingcomputer.com)
After Zero-Day Attacks, MOVEit Turns to Security Service Packs - SecurityWeek
Microsoft Warns of Office Zero-Day Attacks, No Patch Available - SecurityWeek
Juniper Networks Patches High-Severity Vulnerabilities in Junos OS - SecurityWeek
Cisco SD-WAN vManage impacted by unauthenticated REST API access (bleepingcomputer.com)
SonicWall warns admins to patch critical auth bypass bugs immediately (bleepingcomputer.com)
Fortinet warns of critical RCE flaw in FortiOS, FortiProxy devices (bleepingcomputer.com)
Russia-based actor exploited unpatched Office zero day | TechTarget
Hackers Steal $20 Million by Exploiting Flaw in Revolut's Payment Systems (thehackernews.com)
Raising concerns over Google Authenticator’s new features | TechRadar
Novel Linux kernel vulnerability exploitable for elevated privileges | SC Media (scmagazine.com)
Hackers Exploit Windows Policy Loophole to Forge Kernel-Mode Driver Signatures (thehackernews.com)
VMware warns of exploit available for critical vRealize RCE bug (bleepingcomputer.com)
Adobe Patch Tuesday: Critical Flaws Haunt InDesign, ColdFusion - SecurityWeek
Zimbra urges customers to manually fix actively exploited zero-day-Security Affairs
Critical Vulnerability Can Allow Takeover of Mastodon Servers - SecurityWeek
New StackRot Linux kernel flaw allows privilege escalation (bleepingcomputer.com)
Exploit Code Published for Remote Root Flaw in VMware Logging Software - SecurityWeek
API Flaw in QuickBlox Framework Exposed PII of Millions of Users - SecurityWeek
Experts released PoC exploit for Ubiquiti EdgeRouter flaw-Security Affairs
Critical RCE found in popular Ghostscript open-source PDF library (bleepingcomputer.com)
Citrix fixed a critical flaw in Secure Access Client for Ubuntu-Security Affairs
OT/ICS Vulnerabilities
Tools and Controls
The Need for Risk-Based Vulnerability Management to Combat Threats (bleepingcomputer.com)
less than half of SMBs use Privileged Access Management- IT Security Guru
Exposure Management Looks to Attack Paths, Identity to Better Measure Risk (darkreading.com)
Enterprise risk management should inform cyber-risk strategies | TechTarget
Infrastructure upgrades alone won't guarantee strong security - Help Net Security
What is a Network Intrusion Protection System (NIPS)? | Definition from TechTarget
Overcoming user resistance to passwordless authentication - Help Net Security
Zero Trust Keeps Digital Attacks From Entering the Real World (darkreading.com)
3 Strategies For Simplifying And Strengthening Your Data Security (forbes.com)
The history, evolution and current state of SIEM | TechTarget
Attack Surface Management: Identify and protect the unknown - Help Net Security
How to Put Generative AI to Work in Your Security Operations Center (darkreading.com)
Close Security Gaps with Continuous Threat Exposure Management (thehackernews.com)
Platform Approach to Cyber Security: The New Paradigm (trendmicro.com)
Intrusion Detection & Prevention Systems Guide (trendmicro.com)
Decentralized storage emerging as solution to cloud-based attacks | Cybernews
Wi-Fi AP placement best practices and security policies | TechTarget
For stronger public cloud data security, use defence in depth | TechTarget
Other News
White House Urged to Quickly Nominate National Cyber Director (darkreading.com)
The rise of cyber threats in a digital dystopia | Mint #AskBetterQuestions (livemint.com)
Building the right collective defence against cyber attacks for critical infrastructure | CyberScoop
Satellites lack standard security mechanisms found in mobile phones and laptops - Help Net Security
White House publishes National Cyber Security Strategy Implementation Plan - Help Net Security
Cyber attacks through Browser Extensions – the Importance of MFA (bleepingcomputer.com)
Sector Specific
Industry specific threat intelligence reports are available.
Contact us to receive tailored reports specific to the industry/sector and geographies you operate in.
· Automotive
· Construction
· Critical National Infrastructure (CNI)
· Defence & Space
· Education & Academia
· Energy & Utilities
· Estate Agencies
· Financial Services
· FinTech
· Food & Agriculture
· Gaming & Gambling
· Government & Public Sector (including Law Enforcement)
· Health/Medical/Pharma
· Hotels & Hospitality
· Insurance
· Legal
· Manufacturing
· Maritime
· Oil, Gas & Mining
· OT, ICS, IIoT, SCADA & Cyber-Physical Systems
· Retail & eCommerce
· Small and Medium Sized Businesses (SMBs)
· Startups
· Telecoms
· Third Sector & Charities
· Transport & Aviation
· Web3
As usual, contact us to help assess where your risks lie and to ensure you are doing all you can do to keep you and your business secure.
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You can also follow us on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.
Links to articles are for interest and awareness and linking to or reposting external content does not endorse any service or product, likewise we are not responsible for the security of external links.
Black Arrow Cyber Threat Briefing 07 July 2023
Black Arrow Cyber Threat Briefing 07 July 2023:
-Cyber Attacks Against Mobile Devices Growing Fast
-One Third of Security Breaches Go Unnoticed by Security Professionals
-Cyber Security Experts Have Become Targets for Board Seats
-Phishing Attack Prevention as Email Attacks Surge Over 450%
-Outsmarting Business Email Compromise Scammers
-Small Organisations Face Security Threats on a Limited Budget
-Cloud Security: Sometimes the Risks May Outweigh the Rewards
-Cl0p's MOVEit Campaign Represents a New Era in Cyber Attacks
-75% of Consumers Prepared to Ditch Brands Hit by Ransomware
-Scammers Using AI Voice Technology to Commit Crimes
-What are the Causes of Data Loss and What it the Impact on Your Organisation?
-Ransomware Affiliates, Triple Extortion, and the Dark Web Ecosystem
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.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/
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
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.
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)
Threats
Ransomware, Extortion and Destructive Attacks
75% of consumers prepared to ditch brands hit by ransomware - Help Net Security
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
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
FIS Global Data Breach: Cyber Attack On FIS Global Follows MOVEit Mayhem (thecyberexpress.com)
How ransomware impacts the healthcare industry - Help Net Security
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
Ransomware Victims
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)
Japan’s largest port stops operations after ransomware attack (bleepingcomputer.com)
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)
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
Email Cyber Attacks Spiked Nearly 500% in First Half of 2023, Acronis Reports - MSSP Alert
Phishing Attack Prevention Checklist - A Detailed Guide (cybersecuritynews.com)
African Nations Face Escalating Phishing & Compromised Password Cyber Attacks (darkreading.com)
BEC – Business Email Compromise
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
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)
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
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)
Experts detected a new variant of RUSTBUCKET macOS malware- Security Affairs
Iranian Hackers' Sophisticated Malware Targets Windows and macOS Users (thehackernews.com)
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)
Mobile
Android Security Updates Patch 3 Exploited Vulnerabilities - 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)
Apps with 1.5M installs on Google Play send your data to China (bleepingcomputer.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)
Data Breaches/Leaks
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
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
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)
Insider Risk and Insider Threats
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)
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
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)
Deep Web vs Dark Web: What’s the Difference? - Keeper (keepersecurity.com)
Supply Chain and Third Parties
Software Supply Chain
Cloud/SaaS
Microsoft Teams Exploit Tool Auto-Delivers Malware (darkreading.com)
Japan rebukes Fujitsu for cloud security fails • The Register
IT leaders believe hybrid cloud solutions are the future of IT - Help Net Security
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
Encryption
Cyber Criminals Hijacking Vulnerable SSH Servers in New Proxyjacking Campaign (thehackernews.com)
Apple, Civil Liberty Groups Condemn UK Online Safety Bill - SecurityWeek
API
Open Source
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
Privacy Woes Hold Up Global Instagram Threads Launch (darkreading.com)
Malvertising
Training, Education and Awareness
Regulations, Fines and Legislation
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
Models, Frameworks and Standards
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
Privacy, Surveillance and Mass Monitoring
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)
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)
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
Vulnerability Management
Botnets Send Exploits Within Days to Weeks After Published PoC (darkreading.com)
Mitigate Top 5 Common Cyber Security Vulnerabilities (trendmicro.com)
Vulnerabilities
300,000+ Fortinet firewalls vulnerable to critical FortiOS RCE bug (bleepingcomputer.com)
Microsoft puts out Outlook fire, downplays Teams flaw • The Register
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)
Cisco warns of bug that lets attackers break traffic encryption (bleepingcomputer.com)
StackRot Linux Kernel Bug Has Exploit Code on the Way (darkreading.com)
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)
How Cyber Insurance Can Help Relieve The Costs Of A Cyber Attack (forbes.com)
Reports Published in the Last Week
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.
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You can also follow us on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.
Links to articles are for interest and awareness and linking to or reposting external content does not endorse any service or product, likewise we are not responsible for the security of external links.
Black Arrow Cyber Threat Briefing 16 June 2023
Black Arrow Cyber Threat Briefing 16 June 2023:
-Hacker Gang Clop Deploys Extortion Tactics Against Global Companies
-Social Engineering Drives BEC Losses to $50B Globally
-Creating A Cyber-Conscious Culture—It Must Be Driven from the Top
-Artificial Intelligence is Coming to Windows: Are Your Security Policy Settings Ready?
-Cyber Crooks Targeting Employees, Organisations Fight Back with Training Programs
-Massive Phishing Campaign Uses 6,000 Sites to Impersonate 100 Brands
-A Recent Study Shows Over One in Ten Brits are Willing to Engage in ‘Illegal or Illicit’ Online Behaviour as the Cost of Living Crisis Worsens, Driving Insider Threat Concerns
-Microsoft Office 365 Phishing Reveals Signs of Much Larger BEC Campaign
-Europol Warns of Metaverse and AI Terror Threat
-What is AI, and is it Dangerous?
-Cyber Liability Insurance Vs. Data Breach Insurance: What's the Difference?
-Exploring the Dark Web: Hitmen for Hire and the Realities of Online Activities
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
Hacker Gang Clop Deploys Extortion Tactics Against Global Companies
The Russian-speaking gang of hackers that compromised UK groups such as British Airways and the BBC has claimed it has siphoned off sensitive data from more institutions including US-based investment firms, European manufacturers and US universities. Eight other companies this week made it onto Clop’s list on the dark web. That adds to the news last week that UK groups, including Walgreens-owned Boots, informed employees that their data had been compromised. The issue also targeted customers of Zellis, a UK-based payroll provider that about half of the companies on the FTSE 100 use.
The hacking group is pushing for contact with the companies on the list, according to a post on Clop’s dark web site, as the gang demands a ransom that cyber security experts and negotiators said could be as much as several million dollars.
https://www.ft.com/content/c1db9c5c-cdf1-48bc-8e6b-2c2444b66dc9
Social Engineering Drives BEC Losses to $50B Globally
Business email compromise (BEC) continues to evolve on the back of sophisticated targeting and social engineering, costing businesses worldwide more than $50 billion in the last 10 years - a figure that reflected a growth in business losses to BEC of 17% year-over-year in 2022, according to the FBI.
Security professionals attribute BEC's continued dominance in the cyber threat landscape to several reasons. A key one is that attackers have become increasingly savvy in how to socially-engineer messages so that they appear authentic to users, which is the key to being successful at this scam. And with the increase in availability of artificial intelligence, the continued success of BEC means these attacks are here to stay. Organisations will be forced to respond with even stronger security measures, security experts say.
https://www.darkreading.com/threat-intelligence/social-engineering-drives-bec-losses-to-50b-globally
Creating A Cyber Conscious Culture—It Must Be Driven from the Top
Businesses are facing more frequent and sophisticated cyber threats and they must continuously learn new ways to protect their revenues, reputation and maintain regulatory compliance. With hybrid and remote working blurring traditional security perimeters and expanding the attack surface, the high volumes of sensitive information held by organisations are at increased risk of cyber attacks.
The increase had led to cyber elevating to the board level; after all the board is responsible for cyber security. It doesn’t stop there however, as everyone in an organisation has responsibility for upholding cyber security. The board must aim to create a cyber-conscious culture, where users are aware of their role in cyber security. One important way such a culture can be achieved is through providing regular education and training to all users.
Artificial Intelligence is Coming to Windows: Are Your Security Policy Settings Ready?
What’s in your Windows security policy? Do you review your settings on an annual basis or more often? Do you provide education and training regarding the topics in the policy? Does it get revised when the impact of an incident showcases that an internal policy violation led to the root cause of the issue? And, importantly, do you have a security policy that includes your firm’s overall policies around the increasing race towards artificial intelligence, which is seemingly in nearly every application released these days?
From word processing documents to the upcoming enhancements to Windows 11, which will include AI prompting in the Explorer platform, organisations should review how they want their employees to treat customer data or other confidential information when using AI platforms. Many will want to build limits and guidelines into their security plans that specify what is allowed to be entered into platforms and websites that may store or share the information online. However, confidential information should not be included in any application that doesn’t have clearly defined protections around the handling of such data. The bottom line is that AI is coming to your network and your desktop sooner than you think. Build your policies now and review your processes to determine if you are ready for it today.
Cyber Crooks Targeting Employees, Organisations Fight Back with Training Programs
Cyber criminals are increasingly targeting an organisation’s employees, figuring to trick an untrained staffer to click on a malicious link that starts a malware attack, Fortinet said in a newly released study of security awareness and training.
More than 80% of organisations faced malware, phishing and password attacks last year, which were mainly targeted at users. This underscores that employees can be an organisation’s weakest point or one of its most powerful defences.
Fortinet’s research revealed that more than 90% of the survey’s respondents believe that increased employee cyber security awareness would help decrease the occurrence of cyber attacks. As organisations face increasing cyber risks, employees serving as an organisation’s first line of defence in protecting their organisation from cyber crime becomes of paramount importance.
Massive Phishing Campaign Uses 6,000 Sites to Impersonate 100 Brands
A widespread brand impersonation campaign targeting over a hundred popular apparel, footwear, and clothing brands has been underway since June 2022, tricking people into entering their account credentials and financial information on fake websites. The brands impersonated by the phony sites include Nike, Puma, Asics, Vans, Adidas, Columbia, Superdry, Converse, Casio, Timberland, Salomon, Crocs, Sketchers, The North Face and others.
A recent report found the campaign relies on at least 3,000 domains and roughly 6,000 sites, including inactive ones. The campaign had a significant activity spike between January and February 2023, adding 300 new fake sites monthly. The domain names follow a pattern of using the brand name together with a city or country, followed by a generic TLD such as ".com." Additionally, any details entered on the checkout pages, most notably the credit card details, may be stored by the website operators and resold to cyber criminals.
Over One in Ten Brits are Willing to Engage in ‘Illegal or Illicit’ Online Behaviour
A recent study found that 11% of Brits were tempted to engage in ‘illegal or illicit online behaviour’ in order to help manage the fallout from the cost of living crisis. This statistic becomes even more concerning when focused on younger people, with almost a quarter of 25–35 year old respondents (23%) willing to consider illegal or illicit online activity. Of those willing to engage in this kind of behaviour, 56% suggested it was because they are desperate and struggling to get by, and need to find alternative means of supporting their families.
Nearly half (47%) of UK business leaders believe their organisation has been at a greater risk of attack since the start of the cost-of-living crisis. Against this backdrop, many SME business leaders are understandably worried about the impact on employees. Of those who think their organisation is more exposed to attack, 38% believe it’s due to malicious insiders and 35% to overworked and distracted staff making mistakes. Organisations not doing so already, should look to incorporate insider threat into their security plans. Insider threat should focus on areas such as regular education and monitoring and detection.
The report found that 44% of respondents have also noticed an uptick in online scams hitting their inboxes since the cost of living crisis began in late 2021/early 2022. Another worrying finding is that this uptick is proving devastatingly effective for scammers: over one in ten (13%) of UK respondents have already been scammed since the cost of living crisis began. This rises to a quarter (26%) of respondents in the 18-25 age range, reflecting a hyper-online lifestyle and culture that scammers can work to exploit effectively.
https://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/news/costofliving-crisis-drives-insider/
Microsoft Office 365 Phishing Reveals Signs of Much Larger BEC Campaign
Recently, Microsoft discovered multi-stage adversary-in-the-middle (AitM) phishing and business email compromise (BEC) attacks against banking and financial services organisations. The attackers are successfully phishing employees’ accounts with fake Office 365 domains. This allows them to bypass authentication, exfiltrate data and send further phishing emails against other employees and several targeted external organisations. In some cases, threat actors have registered their own device to the employee’s account, to evade MFA defences and achieve persistent access.
https://securityaffairs.com/147327/hacking/aitm-bec-attacks.html
https://thehackernews.com/2023/06/adversary-in-middle-attack-campaign.html
Europol Warns of Metaverse and AI Terror Threat
New and emerging technologies like conversational AI, deepfakes and the metaverse could be utilised by terrorists and extremists to radicalise and recruit converts to their cause, Europol has warned. The report stated that the online environment lowers the bar for entering the world of terrorism and extremism, broadens the range of people that can become exposed to radicalisation and increases the unpredictability of terrorism and extremism.
Europol also pointed to the potential use of deepfakes, augmented reality and conversational AI to enhance the efficiency of terrorist propaganda. Both these technologies and internet of things (IoT) tools can also be deployed in more practical tasks such as the remote operation of vehicles and weapons used in attacks or setting up virtual training camps. Digital currencies are also playing a role in helping to finance such groups while maintaining the anonymity of those contributing the funding, Europol said.
https://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/news/europol-warns-metaverse-and-ai/
What is AI, and is it Dangerous?
Recently, we saw the release of the first piece of EU regulation on AI. This comes after a significant rise in the usage of tools such as ChatGPT. Such tools allow for even those with limited technical ability to perform sophisticated actions. In fact, usage has risen 44% over the last three months alone, according to a report.
Rather worryingly, there is a lack of governance on the usage of AI, and this extends to how AI is used within your own organisation. Whilst the usage can greatly improve actions performed within an organisation, the report found that 6% of employees using AI had pasted sensitive company data into an AI tool. Would your organisation know if this happened, and how damaging could it be to your organisation if this data was to be leaked? Continuous monitoring, risk analysis and real-time governance can help aid an organisation in having an overview of the usage of AI.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-65855333
https://thehackernews.com/2023/06/new-research-6-of-employees-paste.html
Cyber Liability Insurance Vs. Data Breach Insurance: What's the Difference?
With an ever-increasing number of cyber security threats and attacks, companies are becoming motivated to protect their businesses and customer data both technically and financially. Finding the right insurance has become a key part of the security equation.
Companies looking to protect themselves have most likely heard the terms “cyber liability insurance” and “data breach insurance.” Put simply, cyber liability insurance refers to coverage for third-party claims asserted against a company stemming from a network security event or data breach. Data breach insurance, on the other hand, refers to coverage for first-party losses incurred by the insured organisation that has suffered a loss of data.
Exploring the Dark Web: Hitmen for Hire and the Realities of Online Activities
The dark web makes up a significant portion of the internet. Access can be gained through special browser, TOR, also known as the onion Router. The service bounces around IP addresses, constantly changing to protect the anonymity of the user.
This dark web contains an array of activities and sites, which include hitmen for hire, drugs for sale, and stolen credit card databases amongst others. Sometimes these aren’t real however, and are actually a trap to steal money from users on the basis that these users are unlikely to report it to law enforcement when the victim was trying to break the law in the first place. What we do know however, is that the dark web contains a plethora of information, and this could include data from your organisation.
Governance, Risk and Compliance
Creating A Cyber-Conscious Culture—It Must Be Driven From The Top (forbes.com)
Most businesses vulnerable to attacks on the cyber battlefield - The Globe and Mail
10 Important Security Tasks You Shouldn't Skip (darkreading.com)
Enhancing security team capabilities in tough economic times - Help Net Security
Ignoring digital transformation is more dangerous than a recession - Help Net Security
Ransomware Insurance: Security Strategies to Obtain Coverage (trendmicro.com)
Lax security measures, sophisticated hackers reason for rise in cyber breaches (ewn.co.za)
Cyber Crooks Targeting Employees, Organisations Fight Back with Training Programs - MSSP Alert
Cyber liability insurance vs. data breach insurance: What's the difference? | CSO Online
Red teaming can be the ground truth for CISOs and execs - Help Net Security
Threats
Ransomware, Extortion and Destructive Attacks
CL0P Ransomware Gang Hits Multiple Governments, Businesses in Wide-Scale Attack - MSSP Alert
How Continuous Monitoring and Threat Intel Can Help Prevent Ransomware (darkreading.com)
Researchers Report First Instance of Automated SaaS Ransomware Extortion (darkreading.com)
Why Critical Infrastructure Remains a Ransomware Target (darkreading.com)
Ransomware Insurance: Security Strategies to Obtain Coverage (trendmicro.com)
CISA: LockBit ransomware extorted $91 million in 1,700 US attacks (bleepingcomputer.com)
Microsoft links data wiping attacks to new Russian GRU hacking group (bleepingcomputer.com)
To Fight Cyber Extortion and Ransomware, Shift Left (trendmicro.com)
Ransomware Hackers and Scammers Utilizing Cloud Mining to Launder Cryptocurrency (thehackernews.com)
Russian ransomware hacker extorted tens of millions, says DOJ (cnbc.com)
Ransomware Victims
Ofcom, Minnesota Dept of Ed among latest MOVEit victims • The Register
Confidential data downloaded from UK regulator Ofcom in cyber attack (therecord.media)
Oil and gas giant Shell confirms it was impacted by Clop ransomware attacks (therecord.media)TfL warns 13,000 staff that it was raided by Russian hackers (telegraph.co.uk)
Russian hackers steal data on thousands of Ulez drivers (telegraph.co.uk)
An Illinois hospital links closure to ransomware attack (nbcnews.com)
US energy department, other agencies hit in global hacking spree | Reuters
iTWire - Financial services firm FIIG hit by cyber attack, ALPHV claims credit
Xplain data breach also impacted national Swiss railway FSS - Security Affairs
Rhysida ransomware leaks documents stolen from Chilean Army (bleepingcomputer.com)
Phishing & Email Based Attacks
Microsoft Office 365 AitM phishing reveals signs of much larger BEC campaign | CSO Online
Adversary-in-the-Middle Attack Campaign Hits Dozens of Global Organisations (thehackernews.com)
Log4J exploits may rise further as Microsoft continues war on phishing | ITPro
Popular Apparel, Clothing Brands Being Used in Massive Phishing Scam (darkreading.com)
Massive phishing campaign uses 6,000 sites to impersonate 100 brands (bleepingcomputer.com)
BEC – Business Email Compromise
Microsoft warns of multi-stage AiTM phishing and BEC attacks - Security Affairs
Analysis: Social Engineering Drives BEC Losses to $50B Globally (darkreading.com)
Other Social Engineering; Smishing, Vishing, etc
Artificial Intelligence
New Research: 6% of Employees Paste Sensitive Data into GenAI tools as ChatGPT (thehackernews.com)
Artificial intelligence is coming to Windows: Are your security policy settings ready? | CSO Online
Europol Warns of Metaverse and AI Terror Threat - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)
How Europe is Leading the World in the Push to Regulate AI - SecurityWeek
AI is moving too fast to regulate, security minister warns (telegraph.co.uk)
AI to render humans 'second most intelligent creations' | ITWeb
LLM meets Malware: Starting the Era of Autonomous Threat - Security Affairs
What is AI, is it dangerous and what jobs are at risk? - BBC News
Calculations Suggest It'll Be Impossible to Control a Super-Intelligent AI : ScienceAlert
2FA/MFA
Multi-Factor Authentication Usage Nearly Doubles Since 2020, New Okta Report Finds - MSSP Alert
Small organisations outpace large enterprises in MFA adoption - Help Net Security
Malware
New SPECTRALVIPER Backdoor Targeting Vietnamese Public Companies (thehackernews.com)
New Loader Delivering Spyware via Image Steals Cryptocurrency Info (darkreading.com)
Pirated Windows 10 ISOs install clipper malware via EFI partitions (bleepingcomputer.com)
Chinese hackers use DNS-over-HTTPS for Linux malware communication (bleepingcomputer.com)
Fake zero-day PoC exploits on GitHub push Windows, Linux malware (bleepingcomputer.com)
LLM meets Malware: Starting the Era of Autonomous Threat - Security Affairs
New ‘Shampoo’ Chromeloader malware pushed via fake warez sites (bleepingcomputer.com)
Russian hackers use PowerShell USB malware to drop backdoors (bleepingcomputer.com)
Fake Security Researcher Accounts Pushing Malware Disguised as Zero-Day Exploits - SecurityWeek
Vidar Malware Using New Tactics to Evade Detection and Anonymize Activities (thehackernews.com)
Mobile
Denial of Service/DoS/DDOS
Microsoft’s Azure portal down following new claims of DDoS attacks (bleepingcomputer.com)
DOS Attacks Dominate, but System Intrusions Cause Most Pain (darkreading.com)
Swiss government warns of ongoing DDoS attacks, data leak (bleepingcomputer.com)
IoT Botnet DDoS Attacks Threaten Global Telecom Networks, Nokia (hackread.com)
10 Different Types of DDoS Attacks and How to Prevent Them (geekflare.com)
Exclusive: Inside FXStreet's DDoS Attack (financemagnates.com)
Internet of Things – IoT
IoT Botnet DDoS Attacks Threaten Global Telecom Networks, Nokia (hackread.com)
How secure is your vehicle with digital key technology? - Help Net Security
Flipper Zero “Smoking” A Smart Meter Is A Bad Look For Hardware Hackers | Hackaday
Data Breaches/Leaks
Another huge US medical data breach confirmed after Fortra mass-hack | TechCrunch
New Research: 6% of Employees Paste Sensitive Data into GenAI tools as ChatGPT (thehackernews.com)
Top 10 cyber security findings from Verizon's 2023 data breach report | VentureBeat
Xplain data breach also impacted national Swiss railway FSS - Security Affairs
Examining the long-term effects of data privacy violations - Help Net Security
A Massive Vaccine Database Leak Exposes IDs of Millions of Indians | WIRED
Swiss Fear Government Data Stolen in Cyber attack - SecurityWeek
Ofcom, Minnesota Dept of Ed among latest MOVEit victims • The Register
Have I Been Pwned warns of new Zacks data breach impacting 8 million (bleepingcomputer.com)
Organised Crime & Criminal Actors
Cryptocurrency/Cryptomining/Cryptojacking/NFTs/Blockchain
Hackers steal $3 million by impersonating crypto news journalists (bleepingcomputer.com)
Beware: 1,000+ Fake Cryptocurrency Sites Trap Users in Bogus Rewards Scheme (thehackernews.com)
New Loader Delivering Spyware via Image Steals Cryptocurrency Info (darkreading.com)
Cryptocurrency Attacks Quadrupled as Cyber criminals Cash In (darkreading.com)
Ransomware Hackers and Scammers Utilizing Cloud Mining to Launder Cryptocurrency (thehackernews.com)
Insider Risk and Insider Threats
Cyber Crooks Targeting Employees, Organisations Fight Back with Training Programs - MSSP Alert
Insider Threat Vs Outsider Threat: Which Is Worse? (informationsecuritybuzz.com)
Fraud, Scams & Financial Crime
Impersonation Attacks
Insurance
Ransomware Insurance: Security Strategies to Obtain Coverage (trendmicro.com)
Cyber liability insurance vs. data breach insurance: What's the difference? | CSO Online
Dark Web
Supply Chain and Third Parties
Cloud/SaaS
SaaS Ransomware Attack Hit Sharepoint Online Without Using a Compromised Endpoint - SecurityWeek
New MOVEit Transfer critical flaws found after security audit, patch now (bleepingcomputer.com)
Seven steps for using zero trust to protect your multicloud • The Register
New cloud security guidance: it's all about the config - NCSC.GOV.UK
Microsoft keeps quiet on talk of possible Azure DDoS attack • The Register
Encryption
Open Source
Chinese hackers use DNS-over-HTTPS for Linux malware communication (bleepingcomputer.com)
Fake zero-day PoC exploits on GitHub push Windows, Linux malware (bleepingcomputer.com)
Passwords, Credential Stuffing & Brute Force Attacks
Thoughts on scheduled password changes (don’t call them rotations!) – Naked Security (sophos.com)
Microsoft misused our dark web data, says security vendor • The Register
RDP honeypot targeted 3.5 million times in brute-force attacks (bleepingcomputer.com)
Want to be hacked? Just make these password mistakes | Tom's Guide (tomsguide.com)
Training, Education and Awareness
Digital Transformation
Regulations, Fines and Legislation
AI is moving too fast to regulate, security minister warns (telegraph.co.uk)
Ofcom, Minnesota Dept of Ed among latest MOVEit victims • The Register
Confidential data downloaded from UK regulator Ofcom in cyber attack (therecord.media)
Yet more direct calling fiends fined by UK's data watchdog • The Register
How Europe is Leading the World in the Push to Regulate AI - SecurityWeek
Feds extend deadline for software security attestations • The Register
Models, Frameworks and Standards
Data Protection
Careers, Working in Cyber and Information Security
Law Enforcement Action and Take Downs
Privacy, Surveillance and Mass Monitoring
Examining the long-term effects of data privacy violations - Help Net Security
Strava heatmap feature can be abused to find home addresses (bleepingcomputer.com)
US Intelligence Has Admitted Amassed Data on 'Nearly Everyone' (gizmodo.com)
Feds Say Facial Recognition IDed Bosnian War Criminal Miljkovic (gizmodo.com)
Spyware, Cyber Espionage & Cyber Warfare, including Russian Invasion of Ukraine
Putin’s little cyber helpers turn their sights on the UK (telegraph.co.uk)
Russia-Ukraine war sending shockwaves into cyber-ecosystem • The Register
Ukrainian hackers take down service provider for Russian banks (bleepingcomputer.com)
RomCom Threat Actor Targets Ukrainian Politicians, US Healthcare (darkreading.com)
Pro-Russian hackers step up attacks against Swiss targets, authorities say | Reuters
Russian hackers steal data on thousands of Ulez drivers (telegraph.co.uk)
Microsoft links data wiping attacks to new Russian GRU hacking group (bleepingcomputer.com)
Russian hackers use PowerShell USB malware to drop backdoors (bleepingcomputer.com)
Pro-Russian Hackers Target Website of Europe’s Largest Port in Rotterdam - Bloomberg
Russia-linked APT Gamaredon update TTPs in recent attacks against Ukraine - Security Affairs
Russia-backed hackers unleash new USB-based malware on Ukraine’s military | Ars Technica
Nation State Actors
Chinese hackers use DNS-over-HTTPS for Linux malware communication (bleepingcomputer.com)
Iran's 'quantum processor' turned out to be a $600 dev board | PC Gamer
China-based threat actors target UIDAI, AIIMS, ICMR: Govt advisory (moneycontrol.com)
Subsea cables: how the US is pushing China out of the internet’s plumbing
Ukraine information sharing a model for countering China, top cyber official says | CyberScoop
Chinese Threat Actor Abused ESXi Zero-Day to Pilfer Files From Guest VMs (darkreading.com)
North Korea created evil twin of South Korea's Naver.com • The Register
Behind the Scenes Unveiling the Hidden Workings of Earth Preta (trendmicro.com)
Gloucester: Russian hackers behind cyber-attack on council - BBC News
Critical Barracuda ESG Zero-Day Linked to Novel Chinese APT (darkreading.com)
Russian ransomware hacker extorted tens of millions, says DOJ (cnbc.com)
Vulnerability Management
Vulnerabilities
Third Flaw Uncovered in MOVEit Transfer App Amidst Cl0p Ransomware Mass Attack (thehackernews.com)
Bitwarden update corrects password manager access vulnerability on Windows - gHacks Tech News
Fortinet: Patched Critical Flaw May Have Been Exploited (darkreading.com)
Bitwarden update corrects password manager access vulnerability on Windows - gHacks Tech News
CISA orders federal agencies to secure Internet-exposed network devices (bleepingcomputer.com)
Microsoft June 2023 Patch Tuesday fixes 78 flaws, 38 RCE bugs (bleepingcomputer.com)
Log4J exploits may rise further as Microsoft continues war on phishing | ITPro
New Critical Google Chrome Payments Security Issue Confirmed (forbes.com)
Critical Security Vulnerability Discovered in WooCommerce Stripe Gateway Plugin (thehackernews.com)
VMware fixes critical flaws in Aria Operations for Networks (CVE-2023-20887) - Help Net Security
US energy department, other agencies hit in global hacking spree | Reuters
Tools and Controls
Ignoring digital transformation is more dangerous than a recession - Help Net Security
Cyber Crooks Targeting Employees, Organisations Fight Back with Training Programs - MSSP Alert
Cyber liability insurance vs. data breach insurance: What's the difference? | CSO Online
Red teaming can be the ground truth for CISOs and execs - Help Net Security
How Continuous Monitoring and Threat Intel Can Help Prevent Ransomware (darkreading.com)
What is Dark Web Monitoring and How Does It Work? | Trend Micro News
New cloud security guidance: it's all about the config - NCSC.GOV.UK
Why Now? The Rise of Attack Surface Management (thehackernews.com)
Exploring the All-Time Best Book for Ethical Hacking – Codelivly
Enhancing security team capabilities in tough economic times - Help Net Security
Small organisations outpace large enterprises in MFA adoption - Help Net Security
MSSQL makes up 93% of all activity on honeypots tracking 10 databases | SC Media (scmagazine.com)
5 best practices to ensure the security of third-party APIs | CSO Online
Multi-Factor Authentication Usage Nearly Doubles Since 2020, New Okta Report Finds - MSSP Alert
Reports Published in the Last Week
Sector Specific
Industry specific threat intelligence reports are available.
Contact us to receive tailored reports specific to the industry/sector and geographies you operate in.
· Automotive
· Construction
· Critical National Infrastructure (CNI)
· Defence & Space
· Education & Academia
· Energy & Utilities
· Estate Agencies
· Financial Services
· FinTech
· Food & Agriculture
· Gaming & Gambling
· Government & Public Sector (including Law Enforcement)
· Health/Medical/Pharma
· Hotels & Hospitality
· Insurance
· Legal
· Manufacturing
· Maritime
· Oil, Gas & Mining
· OT, ICS, IIoT, SCADA & Cyber-Physical Systems
· Retail & eCommerce
· Small and Medium Sized Businesses (SMBs)
· Startups
· Telecoms
· Third Sector & Charities
· Transport & Aviation
· Web3
As usual, contact us to help assess where your risks lie and to ensure you are doing all you can do to keep you and your business secure.
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 March 2021
Black Arrow Cyber Threat Briefing 26 March 2021: Cyber Warfare Will Grind Britain’s Economy To A Halt; $2 Billion Lost To BEC Scams In 2020; Ransomware Gangs Targets Firms With Cyber Insurance; Three Billion Phishing Emails Are Sent Every Day; $50 Million Ransomware For Computer Maker Acer; Office 365 Phishing Attack Targets Financial Execs; MS Exchange Hacking, Thousands Of Email Servers Still Compromised; Average Ransom Payment Surged 171% in 2020; Phishers’ Perfect Targets: Employees Getting Back To The Office; Nasty Malware Stealing Amazon, Facebook And Google Passwords
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 Warfare Will Grind Britain’s Economy To A Halt
The UK Integrated Security, Defence, Development and Foreign Policy Review was published this week, reflecting on current concerns and previously announced initiatives. The policy made it clear that emerging networks and technologies, such as electric vehicle charging points, provide an opportunity for adversaries to unbalance, paralyse or even defeat us, and a large scale attack on the UK could grind Britain’s economy to a halt.
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/2021/03/22/cyber-warfare-will-grind-britains-economy-halt/
Almost $2 Billion Lost To BEC Scams In 2020
Losses emanating from Business Email Compromise (BEC) and Email Account Compromise (EAC) scams surpassed US$1.86 billion last year, which is more than the combined losses stemming from the next six costliest types of cyber crime. 19,000 reports of BEC/EAC scams last year, a decrease compared to the almost 24,000 incidents reported in 2019. The associated losses, however, increased by over US$90 million and accounted for 45 percent of the total losses (US$4.2 billion).
https://www.welivesecurity.com/2021/03/23/almost-2billion-lost-bec-scams-2020/
Ransomware Gang Says It Targets Firms Who Have Cyber Insurance
What I found particularly fascinating was a claim made by “Unknown” that the REvil gang specifically targets firms who have taken out insurance against ransomware attacks – presumably in the understandable belief that those corporate victims are more likely to pay up.
https://grahamcluley.com/ransomware-gang-says-it-targets-firms-with-cyber-insurance/
Three Billion Phishing Emails Are Sent Every Day
Cyber criminals are sending over three billion emails a day as part of phishing attacks designed to look like they come from trusted senders. By spoofing the sender identity used in the 'from' field in messages, cyber criminals attempt to lure potential victims into opening emails from names they trust. This could be the name of a trusted brand like a retailer or delivery company, or even, in more sophisticated attacks, the name of their CEO or a colleague.
Ransomware Gang Demands $50 Million From Computer Maker Acer
Acer has suffered a ransomware attack over the past weekend at the hands of the REvil ransomware gang, which is now demanding a whopping $50 million ransom payment to decrypt the company’s computers and not leak its data on the dark web. The attack has not disrupted production systems but only hit the company’s back-office network. The security breach was not deemed disruptive enough to prevent or delay the computer maker from announcing its Q4 2020 financial results on Wednesday.
https://therecord.media/ransomware-gang-demands-50-million-from-computer-maker-acer/
Office 365 Phishing Attack Targets Financial Execs
A new phishing scam is on the rise, targeting executives in the insurance and financial services industries to harvest their Microsoft 365 credentials and launch business email compromise (BEC) attacks. These new, sophisticated attacks are aimed at C-suite executives, their assistants, and financial departments, and can work around email security and Office 365 defences.
https://threatpost.com/office-365-phishing-attack-financial-execs/164925/
Microsoft Exchange Hacking: Thousands Of Email Servers Still Compromised – Ransomware Operators Still Piling In On Already Hacked Servers
Thousands of Microsoft Exchange servers are still compromised by hackers even after applying fixes. Owners of email servers that were compromised before Microsoft Corp. issued a patch nearly three weeks ago must take additional measures to remove the hackers from their networks. Microsoft has previously warned that patching will not evict a hacker who has already compromised a server.
Average Ransom Payment Surged 171% in 2020
The average ransomware payment soared by 171% year-on-year in 2020 as cyber crime gangs queued up to exploit the pandemic. The security vendor’s Unit 42 division compiled its Ransomware Threat Report 2021 from analysis of over 19,000 network sessions, 252 ransomware leak sites and 337 victim organizations.
https://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/news/average-ransom-payment-surged-171/
Phishers’ Perfect Targets: Employees Getting Back To The Office
Phishers have been exploiting people’s fear and curiosity regarding breakthroughs and general news related to the COVID-19 pandemic from the very start and will continue to do it for as long it affects out private and working lives. Cyber criminals continually exploit public interest in COVID-19 relief, vaccines, and variant news, spoofing the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), U.S. Internal Revenue Service (IRS), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), World Health Organization (WHO), and other agencies and businesses.
https://www.helpnetsecurity.com/2021/03/22/phishers-employees/
Nasty Malware Stealing Amazon, Facebook And Google Passwords
A new piece of malware called CopperStealer is lurking in “cracked” software downloads available on pirated-content sites, and the malware can compromise your login info for Amazon, Apple, Facebook and Google, among other services. Notably, CopperStealer runs on the same basic principles as SilentFade, a pernicious piece of malware that ravaged Facebook accounts back in 2019.
https://www.tomsguide.com/news/cracked-software-copperstealer-malware
Threats
Ransomware
Phishing
9,000 Employees Targeted In Phishing Attack Against California Agency
Microsoft Warns Of Phishing Attacks Bypassing Email Gateways
Malware
Fraudsters Jump On Clubhouse Hype To Push Malicious Android App
Purple Fox Malware Evolves To Propagate Across Windows Machines
Nasty malware stealing Amazon, Facebook and Google passwords
IOT
Vulnerabilities
5G Network Slicing Vulnerability Leaves Enterprises Exposed To Cyber Attacks
Hackers Are Exploiting A Server Vulnerability With A Severity Of 9.8 Out Of 10
Openssl Fixes Severe Dos, Certificate Validation Vulnerabilities
Data Breaches
FatFace Tells Customers To Keep Its Data Breach ‘Strictly Private’
Energy giant Shell discloses data breach after Accellion hack
Organised Crime & Criminal Actors
OT, ICS, IIoT and SCADA
Nation State Actors
Privacy
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.