Black Arrow Cyber Threat Briefing 17 May 2024

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

Top Cyber Stories of the Last Week

Social Engineering is the Biggest Cyber Threat, as Study Finds Most Workers Have Clicked on a Suspicious Email Link

According to a recent report, half of office workers have clicked on a link or attachment within a suspicious email sent to their work address within the last 12 months, and of those that interacted with the email, half of them claimed to be confident in their ability to identify phishing emails.

With 68% of breaches involving the human element, your organisation must be cognisant of its employees. Hackers know that no matter what your tech stack is, you will always have employees and where there is an employee, there is a way into your organisation. It is far cheaper to exploit an employee who already has the access you require, than to develop a new exploit. It only takes one human to make a mistake by granting access to an attacker.  

When it came to training, only 41% of respondents said their employer had provided formal cyber security awareness training and 79% said their previous training is not sufficient to keep pace with modern cyber threats.

Source: [HackerNoon] [BusinessPlus]

Business Leaders are Stressing Out Over Pace of Technological Change, as Cyber Security Incidents Seen as Main Business Disruptor

A recent report commissioned by BT reveals that 86% of UK business leaders suffer from 'tech-related stress,' particularly concerning AI and cyber security, a phenomenon they have termed as 'Bytmares.' The report found that 59% of business leaders worry about the rapid and relentless pace of tech advancement, and whether appropriate controls are in place to protect it.

According to a different survey, 74% of business leaders view cyber security incidents as the main disruptive threat to their organisations either currently or over the next twelve months. This was followed by cloud computing, internet of things and artificial intelligence.

These findings highlight the critical importance of robust cyber security measures in today’s interconnected world. As organisations increasingly rely on digital infrastructure, safeguarding sensitive data and systems becomes paramount. Cyber threats can disrupt operations, compromise customer trust, and result in financial losses. Remember, cyber security is not just an IT concern; it is a strategic imperative for every organisation.

Sources: [Beta News] [Telecoms] [Verdict]

ICO Warns That Many UK Businesses Neglect Basic Cyber Security: More Ransomware and Cyber Attacks Last Year Than Ever Before

A recent update from the UK’s Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has revealed that ransomware attacks in the UK have surpassed all previous years, up 52% from the previous year. The report found that finance, retail and education sectors are suffering the most incidents.

The leading causes of breaches include phishing, brute force attacks, errors and supply chain attacks. The ICO noted that many organisations still neglect basic cyber security measures and has called for enhanced efforts to combat the escalating threat, emphasising the importance of foundational controls.

Sources: [Tech Monitor] [Government Business] [The Record Media] [Tech Monitor]

Data Breaches are Getting Worse, Many are Employee Errors or Social Engineering Attacks

The latest Verizon Business Data Breach Investigations Report (DBIR) highlights that employee error is the leading cause of cyber security incidents in the EMEA region, accounting for 49% of cases. The top reasons for these incidents are “miscellaneous errors, system intrusion, and social engineering,” making up 87% of all breaches. Hackers primarily target personal information (64%), internal data (33%), and login credentials (20%). Despite zero-day vulnerabilities being a significant threat, with exploitation rising to 14% of breaches, the report emphasises the critical need for ongoing employee training and awareness to mitigate these risks.

Source: [TechRadar]

Why Cyber Insurance isn’t a Substitute for Cyber Risk Management

While cyber insurance can be beneficial in mitigating financial loss from cyber attacks, it is not a substitute for comprehensive cyber risk management. Many firms with cyber insurance have still fallen victim to attacks, highlighting that cyber insurance primarily transfers residual risk. Effective cyber risk management includes conducting proper risk assessments and implementing robust cyber security controls. Cyber insurance cannot resolve issues like business disruption, breach of client confidentiality, and compliance with legal obligations; this stresses the need for proactive measures and independent assurance to protect against cyber threats.

Source: [ Law Society of Scotland]

China Presents Defining Challenge to Global Cyber Security, Says GCHQ

A recent speech by the new director of the UK’s GCHQ highlighted China's growing cyber threat, describing it as an "epoch-defining challenge." She warned that China's destabilising actions undermine global internet security. The current head of the UKs’ NCSC echoed these concerns, pointing to the Chinese state-sponsored hacking group Volt Typhoon which has infiltrated critical sectors like energy and transportation. The National Cyber Director at the White House added that China’s cyber capabilities pose a significant threat to global infrastructure, particularly in crisis scenarios, as Chinese hackers increasingly use sophisticated techniques to pre-position within networks.

Source: [Infosecurity Magazine]

Botnet Sent Millions of Emails in LockBit Black Ransomware Campaign

Since April, millions of phishing emails have been sent through a botnet known as “Phorpiex” to conduct a large-scale LockBit Black ransomware campaign. In a warning from New Jersey’s Cybersecurity and Communications Integration Cell, it was explained that the attackers use ZIP attachments containing an executable that deploys the LockBit Black payload, which encrypts the recipients' systems if launched. The emails are sent from 1,500 unique IP addresses worldwide.

Sources: [Bleeping Computer]

Global Financial Stability at Risk Due to Cyber Threats, IMF warns

A new International Monetary Fund (IMF) report highlights the severe threat cyber attacks pose to global financial stability, revealing that nearly 20% of reported cyber incidents in the past two decades targeted the financial sector, causing $12 billion in direct losses. Since 2020, these attacks have led to an estimated $2.5 billion in direct losses. The report underscores that cyber incidents threaten financial institutions' operational resilience, potentially leading to funding challenges and reputational damage. The IMF calls for bolstered cyber security measures, including stress testing, information-sharing arrangements, and enhanced national cyber security strategies to mitigate these growing risks.

Source: [World Economic Forum]

Ongoing Campaign Bombards Enterprises with Spam Emails and Phone Calls

An ongoing social engineering campaign that is bombarding enterprises with spam calls and emails has been uncovered. The campaign involves a threat actor overwhelming a user’s email with junk, followed by a call offering to assist in removing the junk. From here, the threat actor aims to convince the victim to download remote monitoring and management software such as AnyDesk or Microsoft’s built in Quick Assist feature to allow the attacker remote access to the victim’s machine.

Source: [The Hacker News]

Santander Data Breach via Third-Party Provider Impacted Customers and Employees

A recent disclosure by the Spanish bank Santander revealed a data breach at a third-party provider affecting customers in Chile, Spain, and Uruguay. Unauthorised access to a database hosted by the provider compromised information on all current and some former employees, but did not include transactional data, online banking details, or passwords. Santander said they swiftly implemented measures to contain the incident, blocking access to the compromised database and enhancing fraud prevention controls. The bank assured that its operations and systems remain unaffected, allowing customers to continue transacting securely. The number of impacted individuals remains unspecified.

There is a continued trend in third party providers being used as the soft underbelly to attack larger and better defended organisations, requiring all organisations to consider the security controls of their third parties.

Source: [securityaffairs.com]

40% of Cyber Teams Have Held Back from Reporting Cyber Attacks Over Fear of Losing Jobs

Recent research has revealed that 40% of cyber teams have not reported a cyber attack due to the fear of losing their job. Unfortunately, this leaves businesses at risk of being non-compliant, without even knowing so. When it came to challenges faced by organisations, it was found that nearly 20% of companies say a lack of qualified talent is a key challenge to overcoming cyber attacks and 32% did not have the resources to hire new staff. This is not to say however, they are unable to outsource some of their cyber function to cyber specialists. This lack of allocated resources prevents the organisation from being confident that any incidents have been appropriately remediated.

Source: [Business Wire]

Digital Resilience – a Step Up from Cyber Security

In an increasingly digital world, many organisations are unaware of how truly reliant they are on digital technology, and the accompanying risks. As we move toward an even more digitally dependent future, the need for digital resilience is more critical than ever. Digital resilience refers to the ability to maintain, change, or recover technology-dependent operations. Organisations should begin with an internal audit to assess their digital resilience, involving all departments and ensuring senior management oversight, as board involvement is essential for effective cyber security programmes.

Digital resilience goes beyond cyber security to encompass change management, business resilience, and operational risk. Implementing digital resilience strategies requires continuous adaptation, cross-functional collaboration, and embedding resilience thinking throughout the organisation. Businesses must integrate digital resilience into their strategic planning to ensure ongoing competitiveness and adaptability in an ever-evolving digital landscape.

Sources: [CSO Online] [CSO Online]

UK Lags Europe on Exploited Vulnerability Remediation

A new report by Bitsight reveals that UK organisations lag behind their European counterparts in remediating software flaws listed in the US ‘Known Exploited Vulnerability’ (KEV) catalogue. UK organisations take an average of 225 days to address KEVs, compared to 220 days for European entities and just 21 days for German organisations. Non-KEV vulnerabilities are patched at an even slower rate, with UK entities taking over two years (736 days) to patch. Globally, the average time to resolve KEVs is around six months (180 days). Despite fewer KEVs detected in UK environments (30% versus 43% in Europe), the slow remediation poses significant risks, emphasising the need for faster and more proactive cyber security measures, specifically robust vulnerability scanning and patching.

Source: [Infosecurity Magazine]

Cyber Threats Demand More Focus Says Zurich, as UK Insurance And NCSC Join Forces to Fight Ransomware Payments

A recent discussion at the British Insurance Brokers' Association (BIBA) conference highlighted the increasing importance of cyber security for businesses, driven by the surge in cyber attacks and the use of AI by criminal gangs. Zurich Resilience Solutions UK noted that businesses face greater scrutiny from underwriters over their cyber exposures.

BIBA, together with the Association of British Insurers (ABI), and the International Underwriting Association (IUA), have united with the UK’s National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) in a joint effort to tackle ransom payments. As a result of their collaboration, they have published new best practice guidance, which aims to reduce the number of payments being made by UK victims as well as the disruption businesses face.

Source: [Emerging Risks] [NCSC] [Infosecurity Magazine]

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Governance, Risk and Compliance

• ICO calls on all organisations to boost their cyber security amid growing threat of cyber attacks | Practical Law (thomsonreuters.com)

• Firms neglecting cyber security basics - ICO - CIR Magazine

• Why cyber insurance isn’t a substitute for cyber risk management. | Law Society of Scotland (lawscot.org.uk)

• Business leaders consider cyber security main disruptor – Q1 2024 survey - Verdict

• 40% of Cyber Teams Have Not Reported Cyber Attacks Over Fear of Losing Jobs, According to New VikingCloud Research | Business Wire

• The Growing Cyber Security Disconnect Leaves Enterprises Exposed (forbes.com)

• Cyber Security Is a Top Investor Concern | HackerNoon

• Cyber threats demand more focus – Zurich (emergingrisks.co.uk)

• Digital resilience – a step up from cyber security | CSO Online

• Keep it secret, keep it safe: the essential role of cyber security in document management | CSO Online

• Cyber anxiety on the rise in the UK (betanews.com)

• UK business leaders are stressing out over pace of technological change (telecoms.com)

• Dancing on the Head of a Pin: Corporate Boards, Committees and Cyber Security Risk Management | The Volkov Law Group - JDSupra

• 44% of Cyber Security Professionals Struggle with Regulatory Compliance - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Cyber attacks threaten global financial stability, IMF warns | World Economic Forum (weforum.org)

• BISO: Enhancing cyber security in modern enterprises - SiliconANGLE

• Dell Data Breach Underscores Cost of Cyber Security Complacency (pymnts.com)

• What Is Cyber Risk Quantification? | HackerNoon

• Cyber and Financial Crime, Through the FBI Lens (govinfosecurity.com)

• A Third of CISOs Have Been Dismissed “Out of Hand” By the Board - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Maximizing cyber security ROI: A strategic approach | TechRadar

• Many CISOs don't feel they get the right respect from their board | TechRadar

• Cyber high on agenda at BIBA amid concerns over threats (emergingrisks.co.uk)

• Lloyd’s updates cyber war wordings - Reinsurance News

• Are you meeting your cyber insurance requirements? - Help Net Security

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Threats

Ransomware, Extortion and Destructive Attacks

• Botnet sent millions of emails in LockBit Black ransomware campaign (bleepingcomputer.com)

• UK hit by more ransomware and cyber attacks last year than ever before (therecord.media)

• The ups and downs (and ups again) of the ransomware risk - Digital Journal

• Hackers Target Children of Corporate Executives in Ransomware Attacks (businessinsider.com)

• CISA: Black Basta ransomware breached over 500 orgs worldwide (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Cyber attacks leave significant financial impact on hacked organisations (kwch.com)

• As the FBI Closes In, Scattered Spider Attacks Finance, Insurance Orgs (darkreading.com)

• UK Insurance and NCSC Join Forces to Fight Ransomware Payments - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• UK insurance industry begins to acknowledge role in tackling ransomware (therecord.media)

• The UK may not have a choice on a ransomware payment ban | Computer Weekly

• 64% Jump in Ransomware Claims on Remote Access Tools, Report Shows (claimsjournal.com)

• Cyber Criminals Exploiting Microsoft's Quick Assist Feature in Ransomware Attacks (thehackernews.com)

• Organisations struggle to defend against ransomware - Help Net Security

• Ransomware statistics that reveal alarming rate of cyber extortion - Help Net Security

• Most ransomware-hit enterprises report to authorities, but level of support varies | ZDNET

• Ransomware negotiator weighs in on the payment debate • The Register

• OODA Loop - The Social Engineering Tactics of Ransomware-as-a-Service Operator Black Basta

• INC ransomware source code selling on hacking forums for $300,000 (bleepingcomputer.com)

• What is ransomware recovery? | Definition from TechTarget

• Ransomware Defence Strategies: Never Trust a Criminal (inforisktoday.com)

Ransomware Victims

• More than 470 legal actions against HSE over cyber attack (rte.ie)

• It's been a bad week for public cyber security | TechRadar

• Christie's Just Postponed the Rare Watches Auction Due to Cyber Attack (robbreport.com)

• Singing River Health System: Data of 895,000 stolen in ransomware attack (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Repeat Offenders: Black Basta’s Latest Healthcare Cyber Attack (informationweek.com)

• E-prescription provider MediSecure impacted by a ransomware attack (securityaffairs.com)

Phishing & Email Based Attacks

• Social Engineering is the Biggest Cyber Threat | HackerNoon

• Most Workers Have Clicked on a Suspicious Email Link (businessplus.ie)

• Botnet sent millions of emails in LockBit Black ransomware campaign (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Stay In The Loop On Emerging And Evolving Email Threat Trends (informationsecuritybuzz.com)

• Collaboration tools are now at the frontline in the battle against phishing (securitybrief.co.nz)

• 5 Common Phishing Vectors and Examples - 2024 (cybersecuritynews.com)

BEC

• Visualizing Global Losses from Financial Scams (visualcapitalist.com)

Other Social Engineering

• Social Engineering is the Biggest Cyber Threat | HackerNoon

• Low-tech tactics still top the IT security risk chart | CSO Online

• Ongoing Campaign Bombards Enterprises with Spam Emails and Phone Calls (thehackernews.com)

• What is vishing and quishing, and how do you protect yourself? | PCWorld

• Beware of fake calls, ward off cyber criminals: Govt - The Statesman

• OODA Loop - The Social Engineering Tactics of Ransomware-as-a-Service Operator Black Basta

Artificial Intelligence

• UK Government Unveils New AI Cyber Security Measures as ICO Details Importance of Data Protection | The Fintech Times

• UK agency releases tools to test AI model safety | TechCrunch

• Security industry struggles to consolidate against AI threats - SiliconANGLE

• Cyber Security Races to Unmask New Wave of AI Deepfakes (darkreading.com)

• Only one-third of firms deploy safeguards against generative AI threats, report finds | CIO Dive

• CISOs Reconsider Their Roles in Response to GenAI Integration - Security Boulevard

• AI's rapid growth puts pressure on CISOs to adapt to new security risks - Help Net Security

• Insider Risk in the Generative AI Era - InfoRiskToday

• AI-driven attacks seen as chief cloud security threat | TechTarget

• Concern over AI cyber threats among UK infrastructure organisations | Security News (sourcesecurity.com)

• The Cyber Security Survival Guide For Generative AI (forbes.com)

2FA/MFA

• How to Prevent Attacks that Bypass MFA - InfoRiskToday

Malware

• Malware was almost 50% of threat detections in Q1 2024 | Security Magazine

• North Korean Hackers Deploy New Golang Malware 'Durian' Against Crypto Firms (thehackernews.com)

• FIN7 Hacker Group Leverages Malicious Google Ads to Deliver NetSupport RAT (thehackernews.com)

• Microsoft fixes Windows zero-day exploited in QakBot malware attacks (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Ebury botnet malware infected 400,000 Linux servers since 2009 (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Kimsuky hackers deploy new Linux backdoor via trojanized installers (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Man destroys his laptop after downloading 1,000 viruses to see which anti-virus software works the best (unilad.com)

Mobile

• Malicious Android Apps Pose as Google, Instagram, WhatsApp to Steal Credentials (thehackernews.com)

• Google Issues Critical Update For Millions Of Pixel Users (forbes.com)

• Apple Patch Day: Code Execution Flaws in iPhones, iPads, macOS - Security Week

• Threat actors may have exploited a zero-day in older iPhones, Apple warns (securityaffairs.com)

• Apple warns of increased iPhone security risks – Computerworld

• Apple and Google agree on standard to alert people when unknown Bluetooth devices may be tracking them | TechCrunch

• Protect against iPhone trojan GoldPickaxe: How-to - 9to5Mac

• Unwanted Tracking Alerts Rolling Out to iOS, Android - Security Week

• Apple blocked $7 billion in fraudulent App Store purchases in 4 years (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Android boosting security with Theft Detection Lock, factory reset protection  (9to5google.com)

• Data Privacy: All the Ways Your Cellphone Carrier Tracks You and How to Stop It

• Your Android phone could have stalkerware — here’s how to remove it | TechCrunch

Internet of Things – IoT

• Attack makes autonomous vehicle tech ignore road signs • The Register

• Millions of IoT Devices at Risk From Integrated Modem (darkreading.com)

• Prison for cyber security expert selling private videos from inside 400,000 homes (bitdefender.com)

• IoT Vulnerabilities and BotNet Infections: A Risk for Executives - Security Boulevard

Data Breaches/Leaks

• Over 5.3 billion data records exposed in April 2024 | Computer Weekly

• MoD contractor hacked by China failed to report breach for months | Hacking | The Guardian

• Data breaches are getting worse - and many are coming from a familiar source | TechRadar

• Notorious threat actor IntelBroker claims the hack of the Europol (securityaffairs.com)

• Hacker claims another breach into Dell systems | SC Media (scmagazine.com)

• Dell Data Breach Underscores Cost of Cyber Security Complacency (pymnts.com)

• Hacker claims to have stolen Dell customer data, twice. Here's how to protect yourself | ZDNET

• Santander Data Breach Impacts Customers, Employees - Security Week

• Employee data breaches up 41% - Personnel Today

• The legal sector's data breach conundrum: insights from ICO's latest report - Solicitors Journal

• JPMorgan Chase Suffers Data Breach Affecting Personal Information of 451,809 Customers - The Daily Hodl

• JPMorgan Fixes Security Flaw, Affects 450K Retirement Plans | Entrepreneur

• Europol confirms incident after data break-in claims • The Register

• Largest non-bank lender in Australia warns of a data breach (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Guernsey data breaches: More than 1,000 people affected - BBC News

• Up to 120,000 affected by data breach at City of Helsinki (helsinkitimes.fi)

• Billion-Dollar Bank Sued After Revealing Massive Data Breach Affecting Thousands of Customers, Exposing Account Details, Social Security Numbers and Medical Information: Report - The Daily Hodl

• Okta’s security chief on the company’s own cyber attack and how the ‘battleground’ has shifted (therecord.media)

• Camden Council cyber attack warning after NRS Healthcare cyber attack | Ham & High (hamhigh.co.uk)

• Lessons learned from high-profile data breaches | TechTarget

• Zscaler Confirms Only Isolated Test Server Was Hacked - Security Week

• Nissan North America data breach impacts over 53,000 employees (bleepingcomputer.com)

Organised Crime & Criminal Actors

• FBI, DoJ Shut Down BreachForums, Launch Investigation (darkreading.com)

• Cyber and Financial Crime, Through the FBI Lens (govinfosecurity.com)

• FBI working towards nabbing Scattered Spider hackers, official says | Reuters

• Low-tech tactics still top the IT security risk chart | CSO Online

• The Growing Cyber Threat Landscape: Insights into State-Sponsored and Criminal Cyber Activities | HackerNoon

• Top 5 Most Dangerous Cyber Threats in 2024 (darkreading.com)

• Cryptocurrency/Cryptomining/Cryptojacking/NFTs/Blockchain

• North Korean Hackers Deploy New Golang Malware 'Durian' Against Crypto Firms (thehackernews.com)

• Tornado Cash cryptomixer dev gets 64 months for laundering $2 billion (bleepingcomputer.com)

• US brothers arrested for stealing $25m in crypto in just 12 seconds - BBC News

Insider Risk and Insider Threats

• Low-tech tactics still top the IT security risk chart | CSO Online

• Data breaches are getting worse - and many are coming from a familiar source | TechRadar

• Insider Risk in the Generative AI Era - InfoRiskToday

• The Human Element in Cyber Security: Safeguarding your organisation (thebusinessmagazine.co.uk)

• CISOs call to ditch the 'stigma of blame' in cyber security (computing.co.uk)

Insurance

• Why cyber insurance isn’t a substitute for cyber risk management. | Law Society of Scotland (lawscot.org.uk)

• NCSC guide to help businesses facing ransomware demands (biba.org.uk)

• UK insurance industry begins to acknowledge role in tackling ransomware (therecord.media)

• UK Insurance and NCSC Join Forces to Fight Ransomware Payments - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Lloyd’s provides tighter guidance on cyber war wordings | Insurance Insider

• Cyber high on agenda at BIBA amid concerns over threats (emergingrisks.co.uk)

• Are you meeting your cyber insurance requirements? - Help Net Security

Supply Chain and Third Parties

• Most Companies Affected by Software Supply Chain Attacks in the Last Year, Struggling to Detect and React Effectively - IT Security Guru

• Santander: a data breach at a third-party provider impacted customers and employees (securityaffairs.com)

• MoD contractor hacked by China failed to report breach for months | Hacking | The Guardian

• Okta’s security chief on the company’s own cyber attack and how the ‘battleground’ has shifted (therecord.media)

Cloud/SaaS

• How to create a cloud security policy, step by step | TechTarget

• AI-driven attacks seen as chief cloud security threat | TechTarget

• Singapore Cyber Security Update Puts Cloud Providers on Notice (darkreading.com)

• Secrecy Concerns Mount Over Spy Powers Targeting US Data Centres | WIRED

Encryption

• You want us to think of the children? Couldn't agree more • The Register

Linux and Open Source

• Ebury botnet malware infected 400,000 Linux servers since 2009 (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Kimsuky hackers deploy new Linux backdoor via trojanized installers (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Establishing a security baseline for open source projects - Help Net Security

Passwords, Credential Stuffing & Brute Force Attacks

• The 10 most common 4-digit PIN numbers — are you at risk of a cyber attack? (nypost.com)

Social Media

• It’s time to ban TikTok for the sake of our democracy and security (politicshome.com)

Training, Education and Awareness

• The Future of Security Awareness - GovInfoSecurity

• The Human Element in Cyber Security: Safeguarding your organisation (thebusinessmagazine.co.uk)

Regulations, Fines and Legislation

• Singapore Cyber Security Update Puts Cloud Providers on Notice (darkreading.com)

• Clock is ticking for companies to prepare for EU NIS2 Directive | CSO Online

• Nigeria Halts Cyber Security Tax After Public Outrage (darkreading.com)

Models, Frameworks and Standards

• Clock is ticking for companies to prepare for EU NIS2 Directive | CSO Online

Careers, Working in Cyber and Information Security

• The cyber security skills shortage: A CISO perspective | CSO Online

• Why cyber security staff burn out, and what to do about it (computing.co.uk)

Law Enforcement Action and Take Downs

• As the FBI Closes In, Scattered Spider Attacks Finance, Insurance Orgs (darkreading.com)

• FBI, DoJ Shut Down BreachForums, Launch Investigation (darkreading.com)

• Most ransomware-hit enterprises report to authorities, but level of support varies | ZDNET

• Prison for cyber security expert selling private videos from inside 400,000 homes (bitdefender.com)

• Tornado Cash cryptomixer dev gets 64 months for laundering $2 billion (bleepingcomputer.com)

• US brothers arrested for stealing $25m in crypto in just 12 seconds - BBC News

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

Cyber Warfare and Cyber Espionage

• Lloyd’s updates cyber war wordings - Reinsurance News

• Civil society under increasing threats from ‘malicious’ state cyber actors, US (therecord.media)

Nation State Actors

China

• Cyber threat landscape permanently altered by Chinese operations, US officials say (therecord.media)

• GCHQ boss says China's 'genuine' cyber threat 'weakens security of internet for all' | Science & Tech News | Sky News

• Tracking the Progression of Earth Hundun's Cyber espionage Campaign in 2024 | Trend Micro (US)

• When Chinese Nationalist Hackers Go Rogue (globelynews.com)

• Can't blame all Chinese cyber attacks on the government - Asia Times

• How the West has struggled to keep up with China’s spy threat - BBC News

• Stifling Beijing in cyber space big focus for UK operatives • The Register

• China focuses on non-military ways to take Taiwan, reports warn - Washington Times

• It’s time to ban TikTok for the sake of our democracy and security (politicshome.com)

• Asian Threat Actors Use New Techniques to Attack Familiar Targets (darkreading.com)

• Chinese Crime Ring Uses Franchise Model to Grow Fake Online Shops (businessinsider.com)

• Three men charged with aiding Hong Kong intelligence service, says Met | UK news | The Guardian

Russia

• Russia is ramping up sabotage across Europe (economist.com)

• File Not Found: Russia Is Hacking Evidence of Its War Crimes - War on the Rocks

• NATO Draws a Cyber Red Line in Tensions With Russia - Security Week

• Pro-Russia hackers targeted Kosovo government websites (securityaffairs.com)

• Russian Actors Weaponize Legitimate Services in Multi-Malware Attack - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• UK 'increasingly concerned' about Russian intelligence links to hacktivists (therecord.media)

• To the Moon and back(doors): Lunar landing in diplomatic missions (welivesecurity.com)

• New backdoors on a European government's network appear to be Russian (therecord.media)

• 'Russian' hackers deface potentially hundreds of local British news sites (therecord.media)

• Investigation: How Russia's Warplanes Get Their 'Brain Power' From The West, Despite Sanctions

• The Three Seas Initiative: A Vanguard in Digitization and Cyber Security | Warsaw Institute

Iran

• Iran most likely to launch destructive cyber attack on US • The Register

North Korea

• Asian Threat Actors Use New Techniques to Attack Familiar Targets (darkreading.com)

• North Korean Hackers Deploy New Golang Malware 'Durian' Against Crypto Firms (thehackernews.com)

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Vulnerability Management

• Not Just MOVEit: 2023 Was a Banner Year for Zero-Days (inforisktoday.com)

• (Cyber) Risk = Probability of Occurrence x Damage (thehackernews.com)

• Critical vulnerabilities take 4.5 months on average to remediate - Help Net Security

• The Fall of the National Vulnerability Database (darkreading.com)

• Backlogs at National Vulnerability Database prompt action from NIST and CISA | CSO Online

• UK Lags Europe on Exploited Vulnerability Remediation - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Log4J shows no sign of fading, spotted in 30% of CVE exploits - Help Net Security

• NIST Confusion Continues as Cyber Pros Complain CVE Uploads Stopped - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

• Heartbleed: When Is It Good to Name a Vulnerability? (darkreading.com)

Vulnerabilities

• Google Chrome emergency update fixes 6th zero-day exploited in 2024 (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Google patches third exploited Chrome zero-day in a week (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Threat actors may have exploited a zero-day in older iPhones, Apple warns (securityaffairs.com) 

• Microsoft Patches 61 Flaws, Including Two Actively Exploited Zero-Days (thehackernews.com)

• Cyber Criminals Exploiting Microsoft's Quick Assist Feature in Ransomware Attacks (thehackernews.com)

• Microsoft fixes Windows zero-day exploited in QakBot malware attacks (bleepingcomputer.com)

• Log4J shows no sign of fading, spotted in 30% of CVE exploits - Help Net Security

• D-Link Routers Vulnerable to Takeover Via Exploit for Zero-Day (darkreading.com)

• New Wi-Fi Vulnerability Enables Network Eavesdropping via Downgrade Attacks (thehackernews.com)

• Intel Publishes 41 Security Advisories for Over 90 Vulnerabilities  - Security Week

• Google Issues Critical Update For Millions Of Pixel Users (forbes.com)

• Apple Patch Day: Code Execution Flaws in iPhones, iPads, macOS - Security Week

• CISA and FBI Issue Alert on Path Traversal Vulnerabilities - Security Boulevard

• VMware Patches Severe Security Flaws in Workstation and Fusion Products (thehackernews.com)

• Firefox 126: Telemetry, privacy feature, and security fixes - gHacks Tech News

• SAP Patches Critical Vulnerabilities in CX Commerce, NetWeaver - Security Week

• Adobe Patches Critical Flaws in Reader, Acrobat - Security Week

• Cisco Releases Security Updates for Multiple Products | CISA

• Microsoft shares temp fix for Outlook encrypted email reply issues (bleepingcomputer.com)

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Tools and Controls

• Why cyber insurance isn’t a substitute for cyber risk management. | Law Society of Scotland (lawscot.org.uk)

• Digital resilience – a step up from cyber security | CSO Online

• Dancing on the Head of a Pin: Corporate Boards, Committees and Cyber Security Risk Management | The Volkov Law Group - JDSupra

• How To Implement Threat Modeling To Protect Your Business - Minutehack

• How to create a cloud security policy, step by step | TechTarget

• Hackers use DNS tunneling for network scanning, tracking victims (bleepingcomputer.com)

• AWS CISO: In AI gold rush, folks forget application security • The Register

• What Is Cyber Risk Quantification? | HackerNoon

• Best Practices for Preparing for a Cyber Breach | ITPro Today: IT News, How-Tos, Trends, Case Studies, Career Tips, More

• Ridding your network of NTLM | CSO Online

• Maximizing cyber security ROI: A strategic approach | TechRadar

• What is ransomware recovery? | Definition from TechTarget

• The Human Element in Cyber Security: Safeguarding your organisation (thebusinessmagazine.co.uk)

• Addressing the Cyber Security Vendor Ecosystem Disconnect (darkreading.com)

• The Future of Security Awareness - GovInfoSecurity

• Microsoft Deploys Generative AI for US Spies | WIRED

• How to Think About Foundation Models for Cyber Security | Andreessen Horowitz (a16z.com)

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Reports Published in the Last Week

• Learning from the mistakes of others – A retrospective review | ICO

• 2024 Browser Security Report (layerxsecurity.com)

• At-Bay's 2024 InsurSec Report [Download Now]

• Kaspersky’s Incident Response Analyst report 2023 (kasperskycontenthub.com)

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Other News

• Microsoft president summoned to House over security blunders • The Register

• National Cyber Security Centre: Tech market not working - The Business Magazine

• Critical infrastructure security needs everyone's help • The Register

• Your Hospital Is Under Cyber Attack. Now What? (newsweek.com)

• BT, TalkTalk, Virgin Media and Vodafone on UK Router Security and Upgrades - ISPreview UK

• Hackers use DNS tunnelling for network scanning, tracking victims (bleepingcomputer.com)

• NCSC CTO: Broken market must be fixed to usher in new tech • The Register

• Public Sector IT is Broken: Turning the System Back On - IT Security Guru

• The Cyber Security Implications Of Gen Z’s Tech-Savvy Lifestyle (forbes.com)

• Fortify Your Digital Defences: Top Home Cyber Security Strategies for Personal Protection | HackerNoon

• Classes cancelled as 'sinister' school cyber attacks rise - BBC News

• Irony abounds as UK NCSC’s simple door codes revealed • The Register

• Candidates to get cyber security support amid general election interference fears (nation.cymru)

• NCSC launches Share and Defend capability | UKAuthority

• Too many ICS assets are exposed to the public internet - Help Net Security

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Sector Specific

Industry specific threat intelligence reports are available.

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

·         Automotive

·         Construction

·         Critical National Infrastructure (CNI)

·         Defence & Space

·         Education & Academia

·         Energy & Utilities

·         Estate Agencies

·         Financial Services

·         FinTech

·         Food & Agriculture

·         Gaming & Gambling

·         Government & Public Sector (including Law Enforcement)

·         Health/Medical/Pharma

·         Hotels & Hospitality

·         Insurance

·         Legal

·         Manufacturing

·         Maritime

·         Oil, Gas & Mining

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

·         Retail & eCommerce

·         Small and Medium Sized Businesses (SMBs)

·         Startups

·         Telecoms

·         Third Sector & Charities

·         Transport & Aviation

·         Web3

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

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

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

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

Cyber Weekly Flash Briefing for 06 March 2020 phishing scams exploiting coronavirus, Boots Advantage and Tesco Clubcard hit in the same week, Android patches, ransomware takes legal giant offline

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.

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Nasty phishing scams aim to exploit coronavirus fears

Phoney emails about health advice and more are being used to steal login credentials and financial details.

Cyber criminals are aiming to take advantage of fears over coronavirus as a means of conducting phishing attacks and spreading malware, along with stealing login credentials and credit card details.

Cybersecurity companies have identified a number of campaigns by hackers who are attempting to exploit concerns about the COVID-19 outbreak for their own criminal ends. Crooks often use current affairs to make their scams more timely.

Researchers have identified a Trickbot banking trojan campaign specifically targeting Italian email addresses in an attempt to play on worries about the virus. The phishing email comes with a Word document which claims to contain advice on how to prevent infection – but this attachment is in fact a Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) script which drops a new variant of Trickbot onto the victim's machine.

The message text claims to offer advice from the World Health Organization (WHO) in a Word document which claims to be produced using an earlier version of Microsoft Word which means the user needs to enable macros in order to see the content. By doing this, it executes a chain of commands which installs Trickbot on the machine.

Read more here: https://www.zdnet.com/article/nasty-phishing-scams-aim-to-exploit-coronovirus-fears/

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Backdoor malware is being spread through fake security certificate alerts

Victims of this new technique are invited to install a malicious "security certificate update" when they visit compromised websites.

Backdoor and Trojan malware variants are being distributed through a new phishing technique that attempts to lure victims into accepting an "update" to website security certificates.

Certificate Authorities (CAs) distribute SSL/TLS security certificates for improved security online by providing encryption for communication channels between a browser and server -- especially important for domains providing e-commerce services -- as well as identity validation, which is intended to instill trust in a domain.

Read the full article here: https://www.zdnet.com/article/backdoor-malware-is-being-spread-through-fake-security-certificate-alerts/

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Boots Advantage and Tesco Clubcard both suffer data breaches in same week

Boots has blocked all Advantage card holders from ‘paying with points’ after 150,000 accounts were subjected to attempted hacks using stolen passwords.

The news comes just days after Tesco said it would issue replacement Clubcards to more than 620,000 customers after a similar security breach.

Read more here: https://www.which.co.uk/news/2020/03/boots-advantage-card-tesco-clubcard-both-suffer-data-breaches-in-same-week/

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Academics find 30 file upload vulnerabilities in 23 web apps, CMSes, and forums

Through the use of an automated testing toolkit, a team of South Korean academics has discovered 30 vulnerabilities in the file upload mechanisms used by 23 open-source web applications, forums, store builders, and content management systems (CMSes).

When present in real-world web apps, these types of vulnerabilities allow hackers to exploit file upload forms and plant malicious files on a victim's servers.

These files could be used to execute code on a website, weaken existing security settings, or function as backdoors, allowing hackers full control over a server.

Read the full article here: https://www.zdnet.com/article/academics-find-30-file-upload-vulnerabilities-in-23-web-apps-cmses-and-forums/

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UK Home Office breached GDPR 100 times through botched management of EU Settlement Scheme

ID cards sent to the wrong addresses, third party data disclosures, and lost passports are only some examples of mishandling.

The UK Home Office has breached European data protection regulations at least 100 times in its handling of the EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS).

IDs have been lost, documents misplaced, passports have gone missing, and applicant information has been disclosed to third parties without permission in some of the cases, according to a new report.

Read more here: https://www.zdnet.com/article/uk-home-office-breached-gdpr-100-times-through-botched-handling-of-eu-settlement-scheme/

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Legal services giant Epiq Global offline after ransomware attack

The company, which provides legal counsel and administration that counts banks, credit giants, and governments as customers, confirmed the attack hit on February 29.

“As part of our comprehensive response plan, we immediately took our systems offline globally to contain the threat and began working with a third-party forensic firm to conduct an independent investigation,” a company statement read. “Our technical team is working closely with world class third-party experts to address this matter, and bring our systems back online in a secure manner, as quickly as possible.”

The company’s website, however, says it was “offline to perform maintenance.”

A source with knowledge of the incident but who was not authorized to speak to the media said the ransomware hit the organization’s entire fleet of computers across its 80 global offices.

Read more here: https://techcrunch.com/2020/03/02/epiq-global-ransomware/

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Android Patch Finally Lands for Widespread “MediaTek-SU” Vulnerability

Android has quietly patched a critical security flaw affecting millions of devices containing chipsets from Taiwanese semiconductor MediaTek: a full year after the security vulnerability – which gives an attacker root privileges – was first reported.

More here: https://www.cbronline.com/news/android-patch-mediatek-su

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5G and IoT security: Why cybersecurity experts are sounding an alarm

Without regulation and strong proactive measures, 5G networks remain vulnerable to cyberattacks, and the responsibility falls on businesses and governments.

Seemingly everywhere you turn these days there is some announcement about 5G and the benefits it will bring, like greater speeds, increased efficiencies, and support for up to one million device connections on a private 5G network. All of this leads to more innovations and a significant change in how we do business.

But 5G also creates new opportunities for hackers.

There are five ways in which 5G networks are more susceptible to cyberattacks than their predecessors, according to the 2019 Brookings report, Why 5G requires new approaches to cybersecurity. They are:

1. The network has moved from centralized, hardware-based switching to distributed, software-defined digital routing. Previous networks had "hardware choke points" where cyber hygiene could be implemented. Not so with 5G.

2. Higher-level network functions formerly performed by physical appliances are now being virtualized in software, increasing cyber vulnerability.

3. Even if software vulnerabilities within the network are locked down, the 5G network is now managed by software. That means an attacker that gains control of the software managing the network can also control the network.

4. The dramatic expansion of bandwidth in 5G creates additional avenues of attack.

5. Increased vulnerability by attaching tens of billions of hackable smart devices to an IoT network.

Read the full article here: https://www.techrepublic.com/article/5g-and-iot-security-why-cybersecurity-experts-are-sounding-an-alarm/

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Virgin Media apologises after data breach affects 900,000 customers

Virgin Media has apologised after a data breach left the personal details of around 900,000 customers unsecured and accessible.

The company said that the breach occurred after one of its marketing databases was “incorrectly configured” which allowed unauthorised access.

It assured those affected by the breach that the database “did not include any passwords or financial details” but said it contained information such as names, home and email addresses, and phone numbers.

Virgin said that access to the database had been shut down immediately following the discovery but by that time the database was accessed “on at least one occasion”.

Read more here: https://www.itv.com/news/2020-03-05/virgin-media-apologises-after-data-breach-affects-900-000-customers/

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Do these three things to protect your web security camera from hackers

NCSC issues advice on how to keep connected cameras, baby monitors and other live streaming security tools secure from cyberattacks.

Owners of smart cameras, baby monitors and other Internet of Things products have been urged to help keep their devices safe by following three simple steps to boost cybersecurity – and making it more difficult for hackers to compromise them.

The advice from the UK's National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) – the cyber arm of the GCHQ intelligence agency – comes as IoT security cameras and other devices are gaining popularity in households and workplaces.

1. Change the default password

2. Apply updates regularly

3. Disable unnecessary alerts

For more refer to the original article here: https://www.zdnet.com/article/do-these-three-things-to-protect-your-web-security-camera-from-hackers/

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

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

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