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Black Arrow Cyber Threat Briefing 01 March 2024

Black Arrow Cyber Threat Intelligence Briefing 01 March 2024:

-Phishing, Smishing and Vishing Skyrocket 1,265%

-Business Email Compromise Attacks Are Evolving, But What Can Be Done About It

-Vulnerabilities Count Set to Rise by 25% in 2024

-BYOD Increases Mobile Phishing; Risks Have Never Been Higher

-Risk-based spending: An Imperative for Cyber Security That Demands Board Attention

-If you Pay Ransoms, You May not Get Your Data Back and Worse, You Will Probably Get Hit Again, with 78% of Firms who Paid Then Suffering Repeat Ransomware Attacks

-Cyber Resilience and Cyber Hygiene: Why They Matter to Your Business

-Why Governance, Risk and Compliance Must be Integrated with Cyber Security

-More and More UK Firms Concerned About Insider Threats

-98% of Businesses Linked to Breached Third Parties

-What Companies Should Know About Rising Legal Threats

-CIOs Rethink All-In Cloud Strategies as Five Eyes Nations Warn of Evolving Russian Cyber Espionage Practices Targeting Cloud Environments

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

Risk-based spending: An Imperative for Cyber Security That Demands Board Attention

Staying ahead of the latest cyber security developments is essential to keeping your organisation safe. But with the rise of artificial intelligence and attackers dreaming up new techniques every day, a lot of organisations are left to question how they can create proactive, agile cyber security strategies and what approach gives the best return on investment, mitigating risks and maximising the value of their cyber security investments.

Unfortunately, most organisations do not have an unlimited budget, and for small and medium-sized businesses, there is even less to work with. What is needed is a risk-based approach, where organisations identify and prioritise their greatest vulnerabilities, correlating these to business impact; this is then used to form the cyber risk strategy for the organisation.

Sources: [Security Week] [The Hacker News] [Risk.net]

If you Pay Ransoms, You May not Get Your Data Back and Worse, You Will Probably Get Hit Again, with 78% of Firms who Paid Then Suffering Repeat Ransomware Attacks

Recent research from Proofpoint has found that 69% of organisations experienced a successful ransomware incident in the past year, a rise of 5% compared to the previous year. The report found that 60% reported four or more separate ransomware incidents and of the total involved, 54% admitted to paying a ransom. In a separate report, it was found that 78% of organisations suffering a ransomware attack suffered repeat attacks even after they paid.

Sources: [databreaches.net] [Infosecurity Magazine] [Infosecurity Magazine] [Claims Journal]

Cyber Resilience and Cyber Hygiene: Why They Matter to Your Business

Cyber resilience unites cyber security with business continuity and organisational durability, with proper implementation allowing the continuation of routine operations during adverse cyber incidents. Cyber hygiene, on the other hand, refers to having strong cyber security processes and procedures, to help the organisation mitigate the chance of an incident. The combination of both of these allows an organisation to reduce their likelihood of suffering a cyber incident, whilst improving their likelihood of continuing operations in the event of such an incident.

Sources: [Information Week] [Security Boulevard]

Why Governance, Risk and Compliance Must be Integrated with Cyber Security

With pressure from regulators, the evolving threat landscape and requirements for stronger oversight, governance, risk and compliance (GRC) has even more of an argument for alignment with cyber security. After all, cyber security is still security. Incorporating cyber security into the GRC programme of an organisation allows for cyber to become a business enabler.

Source: [CSO Online]

More and More UK Firms Concerned About Insider Threats

A report has found that 54% of UK business decision makers are concerned about the likelihood of their employees disclosing sensitive information or providing network access to fraudsters. In a separate report, 35% of respondents cited overworked and distracted staff making mistakes as a reason why they thought their business experienced insider risk. Certainly, insider risk does not just involve malicious employees; it can also include negligence and in some cases, employees may not be trained enough to identify the risk they are placing on the organisation such as not knowing or following an organisation’s call back procedure. It is important for organisations to consider whether their current training addresses this and whether the programme is doing enough to ensure that insider risk is mitigated.

Source: [Infosecurity Magazine]

98% of Businesses Linked to Breached Third Parties

A new report has found that 98% of organisations are associated with a third party that has experienced a breach, and these breaches often take months or more to be discovered. 75% of external business-to-business (B2B) relationships that enabled third-party breaches involved software or other technology products and services. Third party security is an important part of an organisation’s cyber security and to manage it correctly, organisations need to implement a third party risk management programme.

Source: [Help Net Security]

Phishing, Smishing and Vishing Skyrocket 1,265%

According to a report, since the launch of ChatGPT in November 2022, vishing, smishing, and phishing attacks have increased by a staggering 1,265%. Despite different techniques, these attacks all have one focus, and that’s on the user. Organisations looking to protect themselves should consider a blend of mitigations, including advanced email filtering, enabling multi-factor authentication and arguably the most important, effective user education and awareness training. This training should go beyond ticking boxes, by instead teaching employees how to both recognise and report phishing attempts.

A separate report analysed over 1 billion emails. Some of the key findings included that the majority of phishing attempts (71%) rely on deceptive links, but attachments (22%) and predatory QR codes (7%) are on the rise. When it came to spoofs, Microsoft was the most spoofed entity and financial services were amongst those most targeted sectors.

Source: [Bleeping Computer] [Help Net Security] [Security Affairs]

Business Email Compromise Attacks Are Evolving, But What Can Be Done About It

Business Email Compromise (BEC) attacks remain a dominant danger, with a staggering $51 billion lost over the last decade. A recent report underscores the prevalence of email as the primary battlefield, far outstripping other cyber attack methods. The low-cost, high-reach nature of email makes it an attractive starting point for cyber criminals. As organisations embrace cloud-based infrastructures, these attacks have morphed, presenting new challenges. Attackers have progressed from direct phishing attempts, to compromising business partners, vendors and other third parties. In this arms race, artificial intelligence (AI) assumes a pivotal role as an essential ally, efficiently discerning between benign and malicious content. This development signifies a significant milestone in the realm of email security resilience.

Source: [ITPro]

Vulnerabilities Count Set to Rise by 25% in 2024

The cyber threat landscape is rapidly evolving, with an anticipated 25% increase in published systems vulnerabilities for 2024. This surge, reaching approximately 2,900 vulnerabilities per month, underscores the critical need for robust vulnerability management strategies. Vulnerabilities serve as prime entry points for ransomware actors, heightening the urgency for organisations to fortify their defences. However, the sheer volume of vulnerabilities poses a daunting challenge for security and IT teams already thinly stretched. Timely risk-scoring remains a significant issue, leaving defenders vulnerable to exploits with threat actors often gaining a head start. Honeypot data reveals a concerning uptick in scans targeting remote desktop protocol (RDP), with businesses running end-of-life (EOL) software at heightened risk. In this dynamic cyber security climate, proactive risk management and expert intervention, such as Managed Detection and Response (MDR), are imperative to safeguarding against emerging threats.

Source: [Help Net Security]

BYOD Increases Mobile Phishing; Risks Have Never Been Higher

The risk of cyber attacks looms large, with stolen employee login credentials serving as a prime target for malicious actors. Mobile phishing has emerged as a significant threat, with data revealing a surge in encounter rates, especially in hybrid work environments and amid Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) policies. Personal devices, once considered outside the realm of corporate security, now pose substantial risks, as attackers exploit social engineering schemes to breach organisational networks. The financial implications of a successful phishing attack are staggering, with estimates suggesting potential losses of up to $4 million for organisations. As phishing encounter rates continue to rise, it's imperative for businesses to bolster their security strategies, ensuring comprehensive protection against mobile phishing threats across all employee devices. To navigate this evolving landscape and safeguard sensitive data, organisations must stay vigilant and adopt proactive measures.

Source: [MSSP Alert]

What Companies Should Know About Rising Legal Threats

The cyber security landscape is witnessing a significant shift as legal actions increasingly target both corporations and individual security officers. Recent cases including lawsuits by Tesla against ex-employees for cyber security breaches and charges by regulatory bodies like the US FTC and SEC, underscore the mounting legal risks associated with cyber security breaches. Notably, private companies are not exempt from such liabilities, facing scrutiny from authorities, regulators, customers and other affected parties. This environment has prompted many cyber security leaders to reconsider their roles, with concerns raised about the future of the profession. Amidst escalating threats and enforcement actions, there's a pressing need for enhanced cyber security budgets, robust risk-based controls and proactive audits or other independent assurance.

Source: [Darkreading]

CIOs Rethink All-In Cloud Strategies as Five Eyes Nations Warn of Evolving Russian Cyber Espionage Practices Targeting Cloud Environments

As organisations embrace the cloud, CIOs recognise that a one-size-fits-all approach may not be optimal. Many now favour a nuanced strategy, shifting workloads from public clouds to platforms offering productivity gains and cost savings; a trend known as ‘cloud exit.’ CIOs are rethinking cloud strategies, assessing each application’s suitability and fostering context-aware hosting decisions.

This comes as a recent advisory issued jointly by cyber security agencies from the UK, US, Australia, Canada, and New Zealand reveals that Russian cyber espionage units, including APT29 and Cozy Bear, are adapting tactics to target cloud environments used by both public and private organisations. These sophisticated attacks pose significant threats across industries. Implementing basic cloud security measures is crucial to regularly evaluate dormant accounts, limit system-issued token validity, and enforce stringent device policies. As cloud adoption rises, prioritise cyber security fundamentals for effective defence.

Sources: [CyberScoop] [CIO]

Governance, Risk and Compliance

Threats

Ransomware, Extortion and Destructive Attacks

Ransomware Victims

Phishing & Email Based Attacks

Other Social Engineering

Artificial Intelligence

2FA/MFA

Malware

Mobile

Denial of Service/DoS/DDOS

Internet of Things – IoT

Data Breaches/Leaks

Organised Crime & Criminal Actors

Cryptocurrency/Cryptomining/Cryptojacking/NFTs/Blockchain

Insider Risk and Insider Threats

Insurance

Supply Chain and Third Parties

Cloud/SaaS

Identity and Access Management

Linux and Open Source

Passwords, Credential Stuffing & Brute Force Attacks

Social Media

Malvertising

Training, Education and Awareness

Regulations, Fines and Legislation

Backup and Recovery

Models, Frameworks and Standards

Data Protection

Careers, Working in Cyber and Information Security

Law Enforcement Action and Take Downs

Misinformation, Disinformation and Propaganda

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

Cyber Warfare and Cyber Espionage

Nation State Actors

China

Russia

Iran

North Korea

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.

Read More
Black Arrow Admin Black Arrow Admin

Black Arrow Cyber Threat Briefing 21 July 2023

Black Arrow Cyber Threat Briefing 21 July 2023:

-Cyber Attacks Reach Two-Year High Amid Ransomware Resurgence as Financial Service Firms Lose $32 Billion in 5 Years

-MOVEit Body Count Closes in on 400 orgs, 20M+ Individuals

-IT Worker Jailed for Impersonating Ransomware Gang to Extort Employer

-Stabilising the Cyber Security Landscape: The CISO Exodus and the Rise of vCISOs

-Risk is Driving Medium-Sized Business Decisions

-Talent and Governance, Not Technology, are Key to Drive Change around Cyber Security

-Hybrid Work, Digital Transformation can Exploit Security Gaps

-Human Cyber-Risk Can Be Demonstrably Mitigated by Behaviour Changing Training

-AI Tool WormGPT Enables Convincing Fake Emails For BEC Attacks

-Pro-Russian Hacktivists Increase Focus on Western Targets

-Infosec Doesn't Know What AI Tools Orgs Are Using

-Google Restricting Internet Access to Some Employees to Reduce Cyber Attack Risk

-Unlocking Business Potential: How CISOs are Transforming Cyber Security into a Strategic Asset

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 Reach Two-Year High Amid Ransomware Resurgence as Financial Service Firms Lose $32 Billion in 5 Years

The average weekly volume of cyber attacks reached a two-year high in the second quarter of 2023 amid a spike in activity among ransomware groups according to Check Point Research, with healthcare in particular facing a significant year-on-year increase. The impact of ransomware hits every organisation, with separate research finding global financial services organisations having lost over $32bn in downtime since 2018 due to ransomware breaches.

A recent report found that the ransomware gangs LockBit and Cl0p alone accounted for nearly 40% of all recorded ransomware attacks across June 2023. The impact from Cl0p’s MOVEit attack alone has been felt by over 400 organisations since May 2023. One of the key takeaways from the MOVEit attack is that no matter the sector, any organisation can be a victim and as such it is essential to have effective controls in place, incorporating defence-in-depth. It’s worth considering how many organisations are still running vulnerable instances of MOVEit, or have someone in their supply chain who is.

https://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/news/ransomware-costs-financial-32bn/

https://www.itpro.com/security/ransomware/weekly-cyber-attacks-reach-two-year-high-amid-ransomware-resurgence

  • MOVEit Body Count Closes in on 400 Organisations, 20M+ Individuals

The number of victims and the costs tied to the MOVEit file transfer hack continues to climb as the fallout from the massive supply chain attack enters week seven. In late May 2023, Russian ransomware gang Cl0p exploited a security hole in Progress Software's MOVEit product suite to steal documents from vulnerable networks. As of last week, the number of affected organisations was closing in on 400 and individual victims exceed 20 million.

The attack highlights the need for organisations to have policies and procedures in place for third parties, and to be aware of the data which a third party supplier has on them. It will be the organisation who will need to let their customers know in the event of a breach.

https://www.theregister.com/2023/07/20/moveit_victim_count/

  • IT Worker Jailed for Impersonating Ransomware Gang to Extort Employer

28-year-old Ashley Liles, a former IT employee, has been sentenced to over three years in prison for attempting to blackmail his employer during a ransomware attack. Liles, an IT security analyst at an Oxford-based company in the UK, exploited his position to intercept a ransomware payment following an attack suffered by his employer. To deceive the company, he impersonated the ransomware gang extorting them. He tried to redirect the ransomware payments by switching the cyber criminals' cryptocurrency wallet to one under his control. He also accessed a board member's private emails over 300 times.

Insider threat is a risk that organisations need to be aware of and, although it was malicious in this case, it can also come from employee negligence. Organisations looking to achieve a strong level of cyber resilience should incorporate insider risk into their training and controls.

https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/it-worker-jailed-for-impersonating-ransomware-gang-to-extort-employer/

  • Stabilising the Cyber Security Landscape: The CISO Exodus and the Rise of vCISOs

In today's evolving digital landscape, the role of a chief information security officer (CISO) is critical. These professionals defend against the rising tide of daily cyber threats. Yet many CISOs are leaving or considering leaving their jobs; this trend seems to reflect the intense pressure CISOs endure. They face a constant stream of complex cyber threats, manage compliance issues and struggle with a talent deficit in cyber security. Paired with high expectations, many reconsider their roles which can lead to a leadership gap.

A virtual CISO (vCISO) is an outsourced security practitioner who offers their expertise to businesses on a part-time or contractual basis. These professionals provide many of the same services as a traditional CISO, such as developing and implementing security strategies, ensuring compliance with regulations, training staff and managing a company's cyber security posture. vCISOs, such as from Black Arrow, are often part of a larger team and can bring a wide range of experiences and skills. They are exposed to diverse security landscapes across industries, and can provide a fresh perspective and innovative solutions to your security challenges. The vCISO model may not replace the need for a full-time CISO in all cases, but it can certainly add a flexible and cost-effective tool to the arsenal of businesses looking to bolster their cyber security posture.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/theyec/2023/07/14/stabilizing-the-cybersecurity-landscape-the-ciso-exodus-and-the-rise-of-vcisos/

  • Risk is Driving Medium-Sized Business Decisions

Small and medium sized businesses (SMBs) have long lacked the tools, expertise, staff and budget to make major cyber security investments. However, as threats become more mainstream and more advanced, the focus is shifting, so SMBs need to take the threats seriously and evaluate their cyber security controls.

In a survey of 140 SMBs, it was found that 40% of respondents believe they are very likely or extremely likely to experience a cyber security attack target in the next 12 months. That fear is founded, as 34% of organisations stated they experienced a malware attack in the past year, and 29% experienced a phishing or spear phishing incident. SMBs are putting their time, energy, and budget toward risk management. When it came to budgeting, 67% list their primary budgeting method as “risk-based”, and only 32% as “ad hoc/following an attack or breach”. It was found that over two-thirds of businesses would rather spend money now than pay a ransom later.

https://www.msspalert.com/cybersecurity-guests/risk-is-driving-small-and-medium-sized-businesses-smb-decisions/

  • Talent and Governance, Not Technology, are Key to Drive Change Around Cyber Security

For the last 20 years, large organisations have been spending significant amounts of money on cyber security products and solutions, on managed services, or with consultancies large and small. Yet maturity levels remain elusive: a report found that 70% of firms surveyed had yet to fully advance to a mature-based approach. Cyber security good practices have been well established for the best part of the last 20 years and continue to provide, in most industries, an acceptable level of protection against most threats and an acceptable level of compliance against most regulations.

However cyber security is often viewed as something external to the business. This perspective leads to talent alienation and execution failures because the employees who should be invested in maintaining and improving cyber security may feel disconnected from these efforts. To make genuine progress, cyber security needs to be intrinsically linked to business values as a visible priority, owned and directed from the highest levels of an organisation.

This approach underlines the importance of governance in setting effective cyber security policies and procedures. It also highlights the crucial role of nurturing talent within the organisation to ensure active involvement in maintaining and improving cyber security measures. While technology is undoubtedly an essential element of cyber security, prioritising talent and governance can lead to lasting progress.

https://technative.io/talent-and-governance-not-technology-are-key-to-drive-change-around-cyber-security/

  • Hybrid Work, Digital Transformation can Exploit Security Gaps

A new study showed that larger organisations generally recognise malware threats but they lack protection against malicious actors and ways to properly remediate infections. The report revealed security leaders are concerned about attacks that leverage malware-exfiltrated authentication data. 53% say they are extremely concerned about attacks, with 1% of security leaders saying they weren’t concerned at all. 98% said that better visibility into at-risk applications would significantly improve their security posture.

The most overlooked entry points for malware include 57% of organisations allowing employees to sync browser data between personal and corporate devices. 54% of organisations struggle with shadow IT, due to employees’ unsanctioned adoption of applications and systems, creating gaps not only in visibility but also in basic security controls and corporate policies.

https://www.msspalert.com/cybersecurity-research/digital-transformation-hybrid-work-models-create-perfect-setting-for-cybercriminals-to-exploit-security-gaps-study-finds/

  • Human Cyber Risk Can Be Demonstrably Mitigated by Behaviour Changing Training

The process of encouraging secure cyber habits in end users is evolving from traditional awareness training toward changing end user behaviour. It reflects a growing acceptance that traditional methods haven’t worked. While traditional security awareness teaches users how to recognise social engineering, new behaviour changing trains the brain – almost pre-programs it – on the correct recognition and response to phishing.

What is considered a standard phishing email today may not be tomorrow, and changes in user behaviour will help to combat this. It is simply not enough to be shown one phishing email and be told to follow procedures. Training should instead be focused on going beyond; this should look to change how the user approaches things such as phishing, and gamifying the recognition and reporting of it.

https://www.securityweek.com/human-cyber-risk-can-be-demonstrably-mitigated-by-behavior-changing-training-analysis/

  • AI Tool WormGPT Enables Convincing Fake Emails For BEC Attacks

A generative AI tool, WormGPT, has emerged as a powerful weapon in the hands of cyber criminals, specifically for launching business email compromise (BEC) attacks, according to new findings. The tool is designed for malicious purposes and has no restrictions on what a user can request. Such a tool allows for impeccable grammar in emails to reduce suspicion and allows sophistication with no restrictions on prompts. The lowered entry threshold enables cyber criminals with limited skills to execute sophisticated attacks, democratising the use of this technology.

https://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/news/wormgpt-fake-emails-bec-attacks/

https://www.independent.co.uk/tech/chatgpt-dark-web-wormgpt-hack-b2376627.html

  • Pro-Russian Hacktivists Increase Focus on Western Targets

‘Anonymous Sudan’, apparent pro-Russian hacktivists, claimed a one-hour distributed denial of service attack on the social platform OnlyFans last week. This was the latest in a string of operations aimed at targets in the US and Europe. The group’s digital assaults coincide with attacks coming from a broader network of hackers aligned with Moscow that seek attention by taking down high-profile victims and strategic targets; many of the targets support Ukraine in its ongoing war against Russia.

The pro-Russian group appears to be affiliated with Killnet, a pro-Russian hacktivist group that emerged in late 2021 or early 2022 and has claimed distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks, data theft and leaks on perceived adversaries of the Russian government, according to an analysis from Google’s Mandiant released earlier this week. The collective’s apparent significant growth in capabilities, demonstrated by Microsoft’s confirmation that Anonymous Sudan was responsible for the outages they experienced, potentially indicates a significant increase in outside investment in the collective, further suggesting a potential tie to the Russian state.

https://cyberscoop.com/anonymous-sudan-killnet-russia-onlyfans/

  • Infosec Doesn't Know What AI Tools Organisations Are Using

With the marketplace awash in new artificial intelligence (AI) tools and new AI features being added to existing tools, organisations are finding themselves lacking visibility into what AI tools are in use, how they are used, who has access, and what data is being shared. As businesses try, adopt, and abandon new generative AI tools, it falls on enterprise IT, risk, and security leaders to govern and secure their use without hindering innovation. While developing security policies to govern AI use is important, it is not possible without knowing what tools are being used in the first place.

Enterprise security teams have to consider how to handle discovery, learning which generative AI tools have been introduced into the environment and by whom, as well as risk assessment.

https://www.darkreading.com/tech-trends/infosec-doesnt-know-what-ai-tools-orgs-are-using

  • Google Restricting Internet Access to Some Employees to Reduce Cyber Attack Risk

In a bid to shrink the attack surface of its employees, and thus boost security, Google is taking an experimental, and some might say extreme, approach: cutting some of their workstations off from the internet. The company originally selected more than 2,500 employees to participate and will disable internet access on the selected desktops, except for internal web-based tools and Google owned websites like Google Drive and Gmail. Some workers who need the internet to do their job will get exceptions, the company stated in materials.

Google is running the programme to reduce the risk of cyber attacks, according to internal materials. If a Google employee’s device is compromised, the attackers may have access to user data and infrastructure code, which could result in a major incident and undermine user trust. The program comes as companies face increasingly sophisticated cyber attacks. Just last week, Microsoft said Chinese intelligence hacked into company email accounts belonging to two dozen government agencies in the US and Western Europe, including the US State Department, in a “significant” breach.

https://www.cnbc.com/2023/07/18/google-restricting-internet-access-to-some-employees-for-security.html

https://www.theregister.com/2023/07/19/google_cuts_internet/

  • Unlocking Business Potential: How CISOs are Transforming Cyber Security into a Strategic Asset

Enterprises are responding to growing cyber security threats by working to make the best use of tools and services to ensure business resilience, according to a recent report. Chief information security officers (CISOs) and virtual CISOs (vCISOS) in particular, want more solutions and services that help them align security measures with enterprise objectives and C-level executives have become more aware of the need for cyber resilience. As a result, security investments have expanded beyond detection and response to include rapid recovery and business continuity.

The report found that amongst other things, enterprises are investing in risk assessments and outsourcing more services. In some cases, where a CISO cannot be hired, organisations may look to hire a vCISO. It is important that the vCISO is able to understand cyber in context to the business and help to align security objectives with the organisations objectives. Black Arrow supports clients as their vCISO with specialist experience in cyber security risk management in a business context.

https://www.blackarrowcyber.com/blog/threat-briefing-14-july-2023

Threats

Ransomware, Extortion and Destructive Attacks

Ransomware Victims

Phishing & Email Based Attacks

BEC – Business Email Compromise

Other Social Engineering; Smishing, Vishing, etc

Artificial Intelligence

Malware

Mobile

Botnets

Denial of Service/DoS/DDOS

Internet of Things – IoT

Data Breaches/Leaks

Organised Crime & Criminal Actors

Cryptocurrency/Cryptomining/Cryptojacking/NFTs/Blockchain

Insider Risk and Insider Threats

Fraud, Scams & Financial Crime

AML/CFT/Sanctions

Insurance

Dark Web

Supply Chain and Third Parties

Cloud/SaaS

Hybrid/Remote Working

Attack Surface Management

Identity and Access Management

Encryption

API

Open Source

Passwords, Credential Stuffing & Brute Force Attacks

Social Media

Training, Education and Awareness

Digital Transformation

Travel

Regulations, Fines and Legislation

Models, Frameworks and Standards

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

China

North Korea

Misc/Other/Unknown

Vulnerability Management

Vulnerabilities

Tools and Controls

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.

Read More