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Black Arrow Cyber Threat Briefing 03 May 2024
Black Arrow Cyber Threat Intelligence Briefing 03 May 2024:
-Most Attacks Impacting SMB’s Target Older, Unpatched Vulnerabilities
-91% of Ransomware Victims Paid At least One Ransom in the Past Year, as 1 in 5 Ransomware Attacks Triggers Lawsuit
-BEC and Fund Transfer Fraud Top Insurance Claims
-Correlating Cyber Investments with Business Outcomes
-Vulnerability Exploitation up 180%, 68% of Breaches involved Humans and Supply Chain Weak Link
-MOVEit & Change Healthcare Attacks Designated as Cyber Catastrophe Loss Events by Insurer
-Securing Your Organisation’s Supply Chain: Reducing the Risks of Third Parties
-Why Remote Desktop Tools are Facing an Onslaught of Cyber Threats
-95% of Organisations Revamped Cyber Security Strategies in the Last Year: Make Sure Yours is Right
-Human Factor a Significant Risk for Small and Medium-Sized Businesses.
-Microsoft CEO Says it is Putting Security Above All Else in Major Refocus
-Ending the Culture of Silence in Cyber Security; Three Ways to Empower Teams
Welcome to this week’s Black Arrow Cyber Threat Briefing – a weekly digest, collated and curated by our cyber experts to provide senior and middle management with an easy to digest round up of the most notable threats, vulnerabilities, and cyber related news from the last week.
Top Cyber Stories of the Last Week
Most Attacks Impacting SMB’s Target Older, Unpatched Vulnerabilities
Attackers continue to aggressively target small and mid-size businesses using specific high-profile vulnerabilities dating back a decade or more, network telemetry shows. Findings have shown that this is due to these vulnerabilities featuring in a wide range of products. Due to their prevalence, they can often become missed by organisations conducting patch management and therefore leave the organisation open.
For this reason it is critical that all organisations, including smaller organisations, have internal as well as external vulnerability scanning. You might believe your systems are patched up to date but there is no way to confirm without scanning , or to know which patches might have been missed.
Sources: [Infosecurity Magazine]
91% of Ransomware Victims Paid At least One Ransom in the Past Year, as 1 in 5 Ransomware Attacks Triggers Lawsuit
Ransomware attacks saw a significant surge in 2023, following a dip in 2022. The number of victims increased by 66% from 2022 to 2023, with 91% of those affected paying at least one ransom. 58% of organisations have been targeted six times or more.
The Sophos State of Ransomware 2023 report highlighted ransom payments rose by 500%; nearly two-thirds exceeded $1m or more, with an average payment of $2m. Furthermore, 30% of the demands were for over $5m.
In the US, 18% of incidents led to litigation, with 123 lawsuits filed in 2023 and 355 over five years. Data breaches, affecting 283.3 million records, primarily triggered these lawsuits, especially in healthcare and finance sectors. The resolution rate is 59%, with the highest settlement at $8.7m. Regulatory fines added nearly $10m to the financial impact. These figures underscore the significant financial implications of ransomware attacks and the urgent need for robust cyber security measures.
Sources: [ZD Net] [Infosecurity Magazine] [Security Magazine] [PrNewsWire] [Infosecurity Magazine]
BEC and Fund Transfer Fraud Top Insurance Claims
Cyber Insurer Coalition's 2024 Cyber Claims Report highlights a significant trend in cyber security threats, identifying email-based fraud as the predominant cause of insurance claims in 2023, accounting for 53% of all claims. Business email compromise (BEC) and funds transfer fraud (FTF) topped the list, contributing to 28% of claims and increasing claim amounts by 24% to an average loss exceeding $278,000. In contrast, ransomware, while less frequent at 19% of claims, also saw a rise in both frequency and severity, with average losses climbing to over $263,000. The report also notes a 13% year-on-year surge in overall claims, with substantial losses tied to compromised network security devices and a notable vulnerability in organisations using exposed remote desktop protocols.
Source: [Infosecurity Magazine]
Correlating Cyber Investments with Business Outcomes
The US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has implemented stringent new rules compelling organisations to report significant cyber incidents within four days and to annually disclose details concerning their cyber security risk management, strategy, and governance. These mandates are seen as giving “more teeth to the idea that cyber security is a business problem” and “bringing an element of cyber security to the boardroom” according to cyber security solutions provider SecurityGate. Highlighted in the "Cybersecurity Insights" podcast, experts argue for simplifying cyber security strategies, advocating sustained resource allocation over reactive measures, and emphasising the importance of training over expensive solutions. These steps are deemed crucial for enhancing organisational resilience and security in a landscape where cyber threats are increasingly sophisticated and pervasive.
Source: [InfoRisk Today]
Verizon: Vulnerability Exploitation up 180%, 68% of Breaches involved Humans and Supply Chain Weak Link
Verizon has released the findings of its 17th Annual Data Breach Investigations Report, which showed security incidents doubled year over year in 2023 to a record high 30,458 security events and 10,626 confirmed breaches. Some of the key takeaways from the 100-page report include zero-day attacks on unpatched systems and devices rising 180% in 2023, most breaches (68%) involving a non-malicious human element and the median time for users to fall for phishing emails falling just south of 60 seconds. In its first inclusion as a separate metric, supply chain attacks were found to contribute to 15% of all attacks.
Sources: [MSSP Alert] [Verizon]
MOVEit & Change Healthcare Attacks Designated as Cyber Catastrophe Loss Events by Insurer
Verisk’s Property Claim Services (PCS) has recently identified the MOVEit and Change Healthcare cyber attacks as significant Cyber Catastrophe Loss Events. These designations are part of PCS’s Global Cyber solution, which tracks cyber incidents and their potential impact on the insurance market. The designation indicates that each attack is anticipated to result in insurance industry losses exceeding USD 250 million.
The MOVEit attack, linked to the Russian-affiliated group Cl0p, compromised over 2,700 organisations globally, affecting up to 90 million individuals. The Change Healthcare attack, attributed to the ALPHV/Blackcat gang, notably disrupted UnitedHealth Group’s operations, with projected costs and lost revenue totalling up to USD 1.6 billion. These designations highlight the escalating scale and financial impact of cyber incidents on global markets.
Source: [Reinsurance News]
Securing Your Organisation’s Supply Chain: Reducing the Risks of Third Parties
Nearly every organisation is part of a supply chain, where a significant amount of data is transferred. When data leaves your infrastructure, its security depends on the third party. The risks of a cyber incident increases as the supply chain increases.
Organisations need to mitigate the risks that their third party brings. This requires an understanding of the supply chain actors, and performing cyber security assessments of the most critical ones. The objective is to ensure that your organisation is satisfied with the third party’s security controls, or to work together to remediate any gaps.
Source: [Help Net Security]
Why Remote Desktop Tools are Facing an Onslaught of Cyber Threats
In the era of hybrid work, remote desktop tools have become crucial yet vulnerable points within corporate networks, attracting significant cyber criminal attention. A study by Barracuda Networks underscores the challenges of securing these tools. Virtual Network Computing (VNC) is particularly susceptible; it is targeted in 98% of these types of attacks due to its use of multiple, sometimes unsecured ports. VNC attacks predominantly exploit weak password practices, notably through brute force methods. Conversely, Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) accounts for about 1.6% of these attacks but is favoured for more extensive network breaches, often involving ransomware or crypto mining. The study highlights a pressing need for robust endpoint management and heightened security measures to mitigate these threats.
Source: [ITPro]
95% of Organisations Revamped Cyber Security Strategies in the Last Year: Make Sure Yours is Right
A recent report found that 95% of companies have altered their cyber security strategies in the last twelve months. This was driven by keeping pace with the shifting regulatory landscape (98%), the need to meet customer expectations for data protection and privacy (89%), and the rise of AI-driven threats and solutions (65%). Almost half (44%) of non-security executives do not understand the regulatory requirements their organisation must adhere to.
When it came to reporting, the study found that security teams aren’t reporting on key operational metrics that define whether their security investments and strategy changes have a measurable impact. It is evident that there is a disconnect between security and non-security professionals when it comes to the business strategy.
Sources: [Business Wire] [Security Magazine]
Human Factor a Significant Risk for Small and Medium-Sized Businesses.
A survey of business and IT security in small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) conducted by LastPass found that roughly one in five business leaders admits to circumventing security policies, as do one in 10 IT security leaders. The survey found that password management is critically important to cyber security, with nearly half (47%) reporting recent breaches due to compromised passwords.
Sources: [Beta News] [Business Wire]
Microsoft CEO Says it is Putting Security Above All Else in Major Refocus
Following a series of high-profile attacks in recent months and a report by the US Cyber Safety Review Board (CSRB), Microsoft’s CEO has revealed it will now focus its efforts on an increase in the commitment to security. Investigating a summer 2023 attack, Microsoft was deemed to have made a series of “avoidable errors”, including the failure to detect several compromises, the CSRB said.
Sources: [TechRadar]
Ending the Culture of Silence in Cyber Security; Three Ways to Empower Teams
A recent discussion on workplace errors highlights the significant repercussions of cyber breaches compared to typical office mistakes. In the UK, nearly a third of businesses face cyber attacks weekly, with each breach costing approximately £4,000. However, a concerning trend is that 41% of these breaches are not reported to internal leadership, often due to fears among staff about the consequences of admitting faults. A three-pronged approach has been suggested to foster a blame-free culture: providing tailored and evolving cyber training, establishing safe zones for admitting mistakes, and implementing robust recovery plans. This approach not only prepares employees to handle potential breaches more effectively but also encourages them to report incidents promptly, reducing the overall impact and aiding quicker recovery. Such strategies are essential for maintaining resilience against increasingly sophisticated cyber threats.
Source: [Minute Hack]
Governance, Risk and Compliance
Verizon 2024 Data Breach Investigations Report: 5 Takeaways | MSSP Alert
Verizon DBIR: Vulnerability exploitation in breaches up 180% | TechTarget
Verizon DBIR: Basic Security Gaffes Cause Breach Surge (darkreading.com)
95% of Organisations Revamped Their Cyber Security Strategies in the Last Year | Business Wire
95% of organisations adjusted cyber security strategies this past year | Security Magazine
1 in 5 US Ransomware Attacks Triggers Lawsuit - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)
Are Enterprises Overconfident About Cyber Security Readiness? (govinfosecurity.com)
How CISOs Can Contend with Increasing Scrutiny from Regulators (informationweek.com)
Correlating Cyber Investments with Business Outcomes (inforisktoday.com)
Ending The Culture of Silence In Cyber Security – 3 Ways To Empower Teams - Minutehack
97% of security leaders have increased SaaS security budgets - Help Net Security
The rise in CISO job dissatisfaction – what’s wrong and how can it be fixed? | CSO Online
Should Cyber Security Leadership Finally be Professionalized? - SecurityWeek
What needs to change to overcome nonchalant security approaches | TechRadar
Agile by Design: Cyber Security at the Heart of Transformation (noeticcyber.com)
Threats
Ransomware, Extortion and Destructive Attacks
Q1 2024 Ransomware Report: 21% Increase in Q1 2023 Ransomware Activity (corvusinsurance.com)
91% of ransomware victims paid at least one ransom in the past year, survey finds | ZDNET
1 in 5 US Ransomware Attacks Triggers Lawsuit - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)
There was an 81% year-over-year increase in ransomware attacks | Security Magazine
Ransom recovery costs reach $2.73 million - Help Net Security
Cactus Ransomware Group Targets Qlik Sense Servers | Decipher (duo.com)
How AI and data protection intersect in today's threat era - SiliconANGLE
Better hygiene may mitigate the need to ban ransomware payments | Computer Weekly
Ukrainian REvil Hacker Sentenced to 13 Years and Ordered to Pay $16 Million (thehackernews.com)
How Businesses Should Grapple With Ransomware Threats (eetimes.eu)
Cyber security consultant arrested after allegedly extorting IT firm (bleepingcomputer.com)
Ransomware Victims
Change Healthcare breached via Citrix portal with no MFA | TechTarget
Almost all US hospitals took financial hit from Change hack, AHA says | Reuters
Another major pharmacy chain shuts following possible cyber attack | TechRadar
Hack That Paralyzed US Health Care Turns Up Scrutiny on Insurer (claimsjournal.com)
Cyber attack to cost Western Isles Council half a million pounds (holyrood.com)
LockBit publishes confidential data stolen from Cannes hospital in France (therecord.media)
French hospital CHC-SV refuses to pay LockBit extortion demand (bleepingcomputer.com)
'Cybersecurity incident' closes London Drugs' pharmacies • The Register
Phishing & Email Based Attacks
AI-driven phishing attacks deceive even the most aware users - Help Net Security
US Post Office phishing sites get as much traffic as the real one (bleepingcomputer.com)
If you receive a Shein mystery box, do not open it | TechRadar
Why the automotive sector is a target for email-based cyber attacks - Help Net Security
BEC
BEC and Fund Transfer Fraud Top Insurance Claims - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)
Other Social Engineering
FBI warns of fake verification schemes targeting dating app users (bleepingcomputer.com)
A Lot of People Are Falling for Those 'Your Package Cannot Be Delivered' Texts | PCMag
Artificial Intelligence
AI-driven phishing attacks deceive even the most aware users - Help Net Security
AI is creating a new generation of cyber attacks - Help Net Security
Combating the Rising Tide of AI-Driven Cyber Crime (cryptopolitan.com)
Businesses turn to generative AI but many don't have policies on it (betanews.com)
How AI and data protection intersect in today's threat era - SiliconANGLE
Understanding emerging AI and data privacy regulations - Help Net Security
To understand the risks posed by AI, follow the money – O’Reilly (oreilly.com)
From Risk to Resilience: Managing Data Security in AI-Driven Enterprises | Inc.com
Cyber security experts face AI risks, deepfakes, burnout | Fortune
US Government Releases New AI Security Guidelines for Critical Infrastructure (thehackernews.com)
Why Using Microsoft Copilot Could Amplify Existing Data Quality and Privacy Issues - SecurityWeek
2FA/MFA
Malware
New "Goldoon" Botnet Targets D-Link Routers With Decade-Old Flaw (thehackernews.com)
New SOHO router malware aims for cloud accounts, internal company resources - Help Net Security
Guarding the Gates: The Growing Abundance of Linux Malware - VMRay
Bogus npm Packages Used to Trick Software Developers into Installing Malware (thehackernews.com)
Millions of Malicious 'Imageless' Containers Planted on Docker Hub Over 5 Years (thehackernews.com)
ZLoader Malware Evolves with Anti-Analysis Trick from Zeus Banking Trojan (thehackernews.com)
New Cuttlefish malware infects routers to monitor traffic for credentials (bleepingcomputer.com)
Mobile
Powerful 'Brokewell' Android Trojan Allows Attackers to Takeover Devices - SecurityWeek
Google Prevented 2.28 Million Malicious Apps from Reaching Play Store in 2023 (thehackernews.com)
New Wpeeper Android malware hides behind hacked WordPress sites (bleepingcomputer.com)
Microsoft warns of "Dirty Stream" attack impacting Android apps (bleepingcomputer.com)
Denial of Service/DoS/DDOS
Internet of Things – IoT
NCSC: New UK law bans default passwords on smart devices (securityaffairs.com)
A glaring Android TV security flaw might put your Gmail at risk | Android Central
Data Breaches/Leaks
PSNI data breach: Almost 5,000 officers and staff in legal action - BBC News
Kaiser Permanente data breach may have impacted 13.4 million patients (securityaffairs.com)
FBCS data breach impacted 2M individuals (securityaffairs.com)
States shares health debt data of 5,000 in an email | Guernsey Press
Qantas app exposed sensitive traveller details to random users (bleepingcomputer.com)
Philadelphia Inquirer: Data of over 25,000 people stolen in 2023 breach (bleepingcomputer.com)
Australian pubgoers' personal info posted to leak site • The Register
Monash Health data breach exposes sexual assault and family violence claims (smh.com.au)
Panda Restaurant Group disclosed a data breach (securityaffairs.com)
Organised Crime & Criminal Actors
AI is creating a new generation of cyber attacks - Help Net Security
Combating the Rising Tide of AI-Driven Cyber Crime (cryptopolitan.com)
Router Roulette: Cyber Criminals and Nation-States Sharing Compromised Networks | Trend Micro (US)
Insider Risk and Insider Threats
How insider threats can cause serious security breaches - Help Net Security
Ex-NSA Employee Sentenced to 22 Years for Trying to Sell U.S. Secrets to Russia (thehackernews.com)
Insurance
Cyber facility in capacity raise as risk severity grows (emergingrisks.co.uk)
Hack That Paralyzed US Health Care Turns Up Scrutiny on Insurer (claimsjournal.com)
Supply Chain and Third Parties
Cloud/SaaS
New SOHO router malware aims for cloud accounts, internal company resources - Help Net Security
97% of security leaders have increased SaaS security budgets - Help Net Security
Encryption
UK's Investigatory Powers Bill approved to become law • The Register
Ten years of Heartbleed: Lessons learned | SC Media (scmagazine.com)
Linux and Open Source
Passwords, Credential Stuffing & Brute Force Attacks
Change Healthcare breached via Citrix portal with no MFA | TechTarget
Okta warns of "unprecedented" credential stuffing attacks on customers (bleepingcomputer.com)
NCSC: New UK law bans default passwords on smart devices (securityaffairs.com)
New Cuttlefish malware infects routers to monitor traffic for credentials (bleepingcomputer.com)
How to use a YubiKey to log into Windows and macOS (xda-developers.com)
Social Media
How TikTok Grew From a Fun App for Teens Into a Potential National Security Threat - SecurityWeek
Facebook at 20: Contemplating the Cost of Privacy (darkreading.com)
Training, Education and Awareness
Ending The Culture Of Silence In Cyber Security – 3 Ways To Empower Teams - Minutehack
Everyone's an Expert: How to Empower Your Employees for Cyber Security Success (thehackernews.com)
Regulations, Fines and Legislation
UK's Investigatory Powers Bill approved to become law • The Register
UK rolls out new consumer safeguards for smart devices (betanews.com)
FCC fines major wireless carriers over illegal location data sharing - Help Net Security
Understanding emerging AI and data privacy regulations - Help Net Security
CISA's incident reporting requirements go too far, trade groups and lawmakers say | CyberScoop
Data Protection
Careers, Working in Cyber and Information Security
Cyber security experts face AI risks, deepfakes, burnout | Fortune
The rise in CISO job dissatisfaction – what’s wrong and how can it be fixed? | CSO Online
Agencies to turn toward ‘skill-based hiring’ for cyber and tech jobs, ONCD says | CyberScoop
Cyber Security Degrees, Are They Really Worth It? | HackerNoon
Beyond the Buzz: Rethinking Alcohol as a Cyber Security Bonding Ritual - SecurityWeek
Law Enforcement Action and Take Downs
Ukrainian REvil Hacker Sentenced to 13 Years and Ordered to Pay $16 Million (thehackernews.com)
Police shuts down 12 fraud call centres, arrests 21 suspects (bleepingcomputer.com)
Cyber security consultant arrested after allegedly extorting IT firm (bleepingcomputer.com)
CEO who sold fake Cisco devices to US military gets 6 years in prison (bleepingcomputer.com)
Misinformation, Disinformation and Propaganda
Nation State Actors, Advanced Persistent Threats (APTs), Cyber Warfare, Cyber Espionage and Geopolitical Threats/Activity
Cyber Warfare and Cyber Espionage
Nation State Actors
China
‘Honeypots’ and influence operations: China’s spies turn to Europe (ft.com)
Philippines Pummelled by Cyber Attacks & Misinformation Tied to China (darkreading.com)
Germany grapples with wave of spying threats from Russia and China - BBC News
How TikTok Grew From a Fun App for Teens Into a Potential National Security Threat - SecurityWeek
Think tank: Tech companies spread China's propaganda • The Register
China's attacks on critical infrastructure ‘tip of the iceberg' | SC Media (scmagazine.com)
Chinese Hackers Have Been Probing DNS Networks Globally for Years: Report - SecurityWeek
Muddling Meerkat hackers manipulate DNS using China’s Great Firewall (bleepingcomputer.com)
Chinese government website security has big problems • The Register
Espionage breaches account for 25% in APAC, report reveals (securitybrief.co.nz)
Russia
Router Roulette: Cyber Criminals and Nation-States Sharing Compromised Networks | Trend Micro (US)
Russian Hackers Target Industrial Systems in North America, Europe - SecurityWeek
Pro-Russia hacktivists attacking vital tech in water and other sectors, agencies say | CyberScoop
Germany grapples with wave of spying threats from Russia and China - BBC News
Ukraine Targeted in Cyber Attack Exploiting 7-Year-Old Microsoft Office Flaw (thehackernews.com)
Germany Warns Of Consequences For Alleged Russian Cyber Attack (rferl.org)
Hackers Claim to Have Infiltrated Belarus’ Main Security Service - SecurityWeek
Military Tank Manual, 2017 Zero-Day Anchor Latest Ukraine Cyber Attack (darkreading.com)
Sweden prepares for Eurovision amidst fears of protests, cyber attacks and unrest | Euronews
Ex-NSA Employee Sentenced to 22 Years for Trying to Sell U.S. Secrets to Russia (thehackernews.com)
Two British men charged with helping Russian intelligence - BBC News
Two hackers in Ukraine accused of spreading Russian propaganda (therecord.media)
Iran
North Korea
Other Nation State Actors, Hacktivism, Extremism, Terrorism and Other Geopolitical Threat Intelligence
Vulnerability Management
When is One Vulnerability Scanner Not Enough? (thehackernews.com)
Vulnerability exploitation nearly tripled in 2023 (telecoms.com)
Vulnerabilities
Cisco devices again targeted by state-linked threat campaign - TechCentral.ie
Okta warns of "unprecedented" credential stuffing attacks on customers (bleepingcomputer.com)
1,200+ Vulnerabilities Detected In Microsoft Products In 2023 (gbhackers.com)
Most attacks affecting SMBs target five older vulnerabilities | CSO Online
Severe Flaws Disclosed in Brocade SANnav SAN Management Software (thehackernews.com)
UnitedHealth hackers took advantage of Citrix vulnerability to break in, CEO says (yahoo.com)
Palo Alto Updates Remediation for Max-Critical Firewall Bug (darkreading.com)
WordPress plugin vulnerability poses severe security risk, allows for site takeovers | TechSpot
Ukraine Targeted in Cyber Attack Exploiting 7-Year-Old Microsoft Office Flaw (thehackernews.com)
New R Programming Vulnerability Exposes Projects to Supply Chain Attacks (thehackernews.com)
Grafana Tool Vulnerability Let Attackers Inject SQL Queries (gbhackers.com)
Microsoft says April Windows updates break VPN connections (bleepingcomputer.com)
NTLM auth traffic spikes after Windows Server patch • The Register
New "Goldoon" Botnet Targets D-Link Routers With Decade-Old Flaw (thehackernews.com)
Four Critical Vulnerabilities Expose HPE Aruba Devices to RCE Attacks (thehackernews.com)
Ten years of Heartbleed: Lessons learned | SC Media (scmagazine.com)
1,400 GitLab Servers Impacted by Exploited Vulnerability - SecurityWeek
Tools and Controls
Why remote desktop tools are facing an onslaught of cyber threats | ITPro
Correlating Cyber Investments With Business Outcomes (inforisktoday.com)
When is One Vulnerability Scanner Not Enough? (thehackernews.com)
Microsoft CEO says it is "putting security above all else" in major refocus | TechRadar
Can automating security relieve CISO pressure? (techinformed.com)
10 Critical Endpoint Security Tips You Should Know (thehackernews.com)
Businesses turn to generative AI but many don't have policies on it (betanews.com)
Ending The Culture Of Silence In Cyber Security – 3 Ways To Empower Teams - Minutehack
Organisations Struggle with Zero Trust: Gartner | MSSP Alert
Tech Tip: Why Haven't You Set Up DMARC Yet? (darkreading.com)
97% of security leaders have increased SaaS security budgets - Help Net Security
DPRK's Kimsuky APT Abuses Weak DMARC Policies, Feds Warn (darkreading.com)
How to Red Team GenAI: Challenges, Best Practices, and Learnings (darkreading.com)
Chinese Hackers Have Been Probing DNS Networks Globally for Years: Report - SecurityWeek
Muddling Meerkat hackers manipulate DNS using China’s Great Firewall (bleepingcomputer.com)
Why LLMs are predicting the future of compliance and risk management | VentureBeat
Other News
Microsoft CEO says it is "putting security above all else" in major refocus | TechRadar
A Season Of Health Breaches, A Season Of Changes (forbes.com)
Bank of England tells payment firms to step up disruption mitigation plans (yahoo.com)
NCSC updates warning over hacktivist threat to CNI | Computer Weekly
The EU's Strategy for a Cyber Secure Digital Single Market | UpGuard
To Damage OT Systems, Hackers Tap USBs, Old Bugs & Malware (darkreading.com)
During National Small Business Week, Take Steps to Secure Your Business | CISA
At Microsoft, years of security debt come crashing down | Cybersecurity Dive
Sweden prepares for Eurovision amidst fears of protests, cyber attacks and unrest | Euronews
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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Black Arrow Cyber Threat Briefing 19 January 2024
Black Arrow Cyber Threat Intelligence Briefing 19 January 2024:
-World Economic Forum and UN Warn of Growing ‘Cyber Insecurity’ Amid Heightened Threat Landscape
-Cyber Attacks Reveal Fragility of Financial Markets as Attacks on Financial Services Sector Surge
-Researcher Uncovers One of The Biggest Password Dumps in Recent History
-Email Nightmare: 94% of Firms Hit by Phishing Attacks in 2023
-75% of Organisations Hit by Ransomware in 2023
-The Dangers of Quadruple Blow Ransomware Attacks
-Human Error and Insiders Expose Millions in UK Law Firm Data Breaches
-It’s a New Year and a Good Time for a Cyber Security Checkup
-Applying the Tyson Principle to Cyber Security: Why Attack Simulations are Key to Avoiding Disaster
-Cyber Threats Top Global Business Risk Concern for 2024
-Generative AI has CEOs Worried About Cyber Security, PwC Survey Says
-With Attacks on the Upswing, Cyber Insurance Premiums Poised to Rise Too
-Digital Resilience – a Step Up from Cyber Security
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
World Economic Forum and UN Warn of Growing ‘Cyber Insecurity’ Amid Heightened Threat Landscape
The World Economic Forum (WEF) and the United Nations (UN) have highlighted “cyber insecurity” as one of the most critical challenges facing organisations worldwide. A recent report reveals that over 80% of surveyed organisations feel more exposed to cyber crime than in the previous year, leading to calls for increased collaboration across sectors and borders to enhance business resilience. The study shows a growing gap in cyber resilience between organisations, with small and medium-sized enterprises facing declines of 30% in cyber resilience. Moreover, the cyber skills shortage continues to widen, with only 15% of organisations optimistic about improvements in cyber education and skills.
The report also underscores the impact of generative AI on cyber security, emphasising the need for ongoing innovation in digital security efforts. According to a separate report by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, there has been a significant uptick in the use of large language model-based chatbots, deepfake technology, and automation tools in cyber fraud operations. These technologies pose a significant threat to the formal banking industry and require focused attention from authorities to counter their impact. The convergence of these trends underscores the urgency and complexity of the cyber security landscape.
Sources: [ITPro] [The Debrief]
Cyber Attacks Reveal Fragility of Financial Markets as Attacks on Financial Services Sector Surge
The financial sector is facing an increased risk from cyber attacks, with cyber security now being listed as the top systemic risk according to a Bank of England survey. Cyber attacks rose by 64% in 2023, with a shift towards AI-facilitated ransomware attacks and Vendor Email Compromise (VEC), which rose 137%, and Business Email Compromise (BEC) attacks, which rose by 71%, both of which exploit human error and pose a severe threat to the industry.
However, there is a lack of readiness by financial organisations to manage cyber attacks due to sophisticated attacks, talent shortages, and insufficient cyber defence investments. Ransomware incidents reported to the UK’s Financial Conduct Authority doubled in 2023, making up 31% of cyber incidents, up from 11% in 2022. The financial sector remains a prime target for cyber criminals, especially ransomware groups.
Sources: [ITPro] [Law Society] [Security Brief] [Financial Times] [Infosecurity Magazine]
Researcher Uncovers One of The Biggest Password Dumps in Recent History
Researchers have found that nearly 71 million unique stolen credentials for logging into websites such as Facebook, Roblox, eBay, Coinbase and Yahoo have been circulating on the Internet for at least four months. The massive amount of data was posted to a well-known underground market that brokers sales of compromised credentials.
Whilst there is a large number of re-used passwords in the data dump, it appears to contain roughly 25 million new passwords and 70 million unique email addresses. This serves as a crucial reminder about properly securing accounts, such as not reusing passwords, using a password manager and securing accounts with multi factor authentication.
Source: [Ars Technica]
Email Nightmare: 94% of Firms Hit by Phishing Attacks in 2023
Email security remained at the forefront of cyber related issues for decision-makers, with over nine in ten (94%) having to deal with a phishing attack, according to email security provider Egress. The top three phishing techniques used in 2023 were malicious URLs, malware or ransomware attachments, and attacks sent from compromised accounts. 96% of targeted organisations were negatively impacted by these attacks, up 10% from the previous year.
Source: [Infosecurity Magazine]
75% of Organisations Hit by Ransomware in 2023
A recent report found that 75% of participants suffered at least one ransomware attack last year, and 26% were hit four or more times. The report noted that of the 25% who claimed to not have been hit, some could have been a victim but may not have the facilities to detect and therefore be aware as such. Ransomware remains a security threat and no organisation is immune.
Source: [Infosecurity Magazine]
The Dangers of Quadruple Blow Ransomware Attacks
With the introduction of new regulatory requirements like NIS 2.0 and changes to US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) statutes, organisations are now mandated to promptly report cyber incidents, sometimes with deadlines as tight as four days. However, attackers are evolving their tactics to exploit these regulations. They add a new level of coercion by threatening to report non-compliant organisations to the regulator, thereby increasing the pressure on their victims. This was first seen last year as a ransomware gang AlphV reported one of its victims, MeridianLink, to the SEC for failing to report a successful cyber attack.
This coercive strategy places immense pressure on companies, especially as they grapple with data encryption, data exfiltration, and public exposure threats. In response to these evolving threats and regulatory pressures, organisations must invest in cyber resilience. This enables them to effectively respond to attacks, communicate with regulators, and recover services promptly, ultimately fortifying their defences against future threats.
Source: [TechRadar]
Human Error and Insiders Expose Millions in UK Law Firm Data Breaches
UK law firms are falling victim to data breaches primarily because of insiders and human error, according to an analysis of data from the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO). According to research, 60% of data breaches in the UK legal sector where the result of insider actions. In total, breaches led to the exposure of information of 4.2 million people. Often, even those organisations that implement measures to prevent breaches will still miss insider risk. Insider risk is not always malicious; it can also be negligence or due to a lack of knowledge, and it is important to protect against it.
Source: [Infosecurity Magazine]
It’s a New Year and a Good Time for a Cyber Security Checkup
2023 brought a slew of high-profile vulnerabilities and data breaches impacting various sectors, including healthcare, government, and education. Notable incidents included ransomware attacks, such as the MOVEit, GoAnywhere, and casino operator breaches, along with the exploitation of unpatched legacy vulnerabilities like Log4j and Microsoft Exchange. Furthermore, new regulatory requirements from the likes of the US Securities Exchange Commission (SEC), and state security and privacy laws, added to the complexity. As we enter 2024, it is crucial for organisations, regardless of size, to reassess their cyber security strategies, incorporating lessons learned and adapting to new requirements. Comprehensive cyber security programs encompass people, operations and technology, addressing the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of information.
Black Arrow can help with comprehensive and impartial assessments including gap analyses and security testing. These provide you with the objective assurance you need to understand whether your controls are providing you with your intended security and risk management.
Source: [JDSupra]
Applying the Tyson Principle to Cyber Security: Why Attack Simulations are Key to Avoiding Disaster
Mike Tyson’s famous adage “Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the face," is something we too often see in the world of security. When it comes to cyber security, preparedness is not just a luxury but a necessity. Far too often, unrealistic expectations in cyber defences create a false sense of security, leading to dire consequences when the reality of an attack hits. No-one wants to be testing their defences and implementing their response plan for the first time during a real incident.
In comes the benefit of incident and attack simulations: a reality check of your defences in a safe environment. Regular tabletop war-gaming exercises that simulate the fall out of an attack for senior leadership, can help to build muscle memory for when something does happen. They make sure everyone knows what to do, and crucially also not to do, when such an event happens for real. A deeper exercise would be a simulated attack that can be systematic and controlled, to mimic a real attacker and then adapted as attackers change their tactics, techniques, and procedures. From simulations, organisations can assess how their defences performed, applying insights and measuring and refining their defences for the event of a real attack.
Source: [The Hacker News]
Cyber Threats Top Global Business Risk Concern for 2024
Cyber related incidents, including ransomware attacks, data breaches and IT disruptions are the biggest concern for companies globally in 2024, according to a recent report by Allianz. The report highlights that these risks are a concern for businesses of all sizes, but the resilience gap between large and small companies is widening, “as risk awareness among larger organisations has grown since the pandemic with a notable drive to upgrade resilience.” Smaller businesses lack the time and resources that larger organisations have available, and as such need to carefully select and prioritise their resilience efforts.
Source: [Insurance Journal]
Generative AI has CEOs Worried About Cyber Security, PwC Survey Says
A recent PwC global survey found that when it comes to generative AI risks, 64% of CEOs said they are most concerned about its impact on cyber security, with over half of the total interviewed stating concerns about generative AI spreading misinformation in their company. When we think of generative AI, we often worry about outside risk and the impact it can have for attackers, but the risk can also be internal, with things such as accidental disclosure by employees to unregulated generative AI. There is a necessity for organisations to govern the usage of AI in their corporate environment, to prevent such risks.
Source: [Quartz]
With Attacks on the Upswing, Cyber Insurance Premiums Poised to Rise Too
As the threat landscape continues to evolve, the cyber insurance market is experiencing significant changes that will impact businesses in the coming months with experts predicting that cyber insurance costs are on the verge of an upward trend. The COVID-19 pandemic and the shift to remote work and the cloud disrupted the cyber insurance market, leading to rising costs and reduced coverage options. In 2022, a temporary respite saw lower premiums, but 2023 has seen a resurgence in attacker activity, making it a challenging year for insurers. Cyber insurance remains a critical component of risk management, with the industry expected to continue growing despite higher rates. For businesses, understanding the evolving landscape of cyber insurance and ensuring adequate coverage is crucial in the face of escalating cyber threats.
Source: [Dark Reading]
Digital Resilience: a Step Up from Cyber Security
In today's digital landscape, the focus on digital resilience is paramount for organisations. While cyber security has garnered attention, digital resilience is the new frontier. Digital resilience involves an organisation's ability to maintain, adapt, and recover technology-dependent operations. As we increasingly rely on digital technology and the internet of things, understanding the critical role of technology in core business processes is vital. It goes beyond cyber security, encompassing change management, business resilience, operational risk, and competitiveness. Digital resilience means being ready to adopt new technology and swiftly recover from disruptions. Recognising its value and managing it at the senior level is crucial for long-term success in our rapidly evolving digital world. Moreover, amid a rising number of cyber attacks, addressing the statistic that only 18% of UK businesses provided cyber security training to employees last year is essential. Bridging this knowledge gap through cyber hygiene, a culture of cyber security, and robust safety measures will strengthen an organisation's cyber resilience against evolving threats.
Black Arrow supports organisations of all sizes in designing and delivering proportionate user education and awareness programmes, including in-person and online training as well as simulated phishing campaigns. Our programmes help secure employee engagement and build a cyber security culture to protect the organisation.
Sources: [CSO Online] [Financial Times]
Governance, Risk and Compliance
World Economic Forum warns of growing ‘cyber insecurity’ amid heightened threat landscape | ITPro
Cyber Threats Top Global Business Risk Concern for 2024: Allianz (insurancejournal.com)
Geopolitical tensions combined with technology will drive new security risks - Help Net Security
Improving Supply Chain Security, Resiliency (informationweek.com)
Generative AI has CEOs worried about cyber security, PwC survey says (qz.com)
As hacks worsen, SEC turns up the heat on CISOs | TechCrunch
It’s a New Year and a Good Time for a Cyber Security Checkup | Clark Hill PLC - JDSupra
Over 90 percent of organisations set to increase data protection spending (betanews.com)
Financial organisations remain in cyber criminals' crosshairs (emergingrisks.co.uk)
With Attacks on the Upswing, Cyber Insurance Premiums Poised to Rise Too (darkreading.com)
Digital resilience – a step up from cyber security | CSO Online
How to Recover After Failing a Cyber Security Audit - Security Boulevard
Businesses Lack Confidence Overcome Cyber Attacks | Silicon UK
Cyber incident response impaired by stress | SC Media (scmagazine.com)
Security considerations during layoffs: Advice from an MSSP - Help Net Security
Effective Incident Response Relies on Internal and External Partnerships (darkreading.com)
InfoSec 101: Why Data Loss Prevention is Important to Enterprise Defence (darkreading.com)
How to improve cyber resilience across your workforce (ft.com)
Threats
Ransomware, Extortion and Destructive Attacks
75% of Organisations Hit by Ransomware in 2023 - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)
Underwriters concerned about ransomware and supply-chain attacks: Woodruff Sawyer - Reinsurance News
Akira ransomware attackers are wiping NAS and tape backups - Help Net Security
Medusa Ransomware on the Rise: From Data Leaks to Multi-Extortion (thehackernews.com)
3 Ransomware Group Newcomers to Watch in 2024 (thehackernews.com)
Ransomware causes mental, physical trauma to security pros • The Register
The dangers of quadruple blow ransomware attacks | TechRadar
Ransomware: To Pay or Not to Pay — What the Experts Say | MSSP Alert
Poorly secured PostgreSQL, MySQL servers targeted by ransomware bot - Help Net Security
TeamViewer abused to breach networks in new ransomware attacks (bleepingcomputer.com)
Ransomware negotiation: When cyber security meets crisis management - Help Net Security
Ransomware Victims
Ransomware gang targets nonprofit providing clean water to world’s poorest (therecord.media)
Capita hits back as pension holders look to sue over Russian-linked cyber attack (yahoo.com)
British Library to share learning from cyber attack - Museums Association
British Library starts restoring services online after hack - BBC News
British cosmetics firm Lush confirms cyber attack (therecord.media)
Delay to Manx Care dental services after cyber attack - BBC News
Email threats to patients escalate after Fred Hutch cyber attack | The Seattle Times
Majorca city Calvià extorted for $11M in ransomware attack (bleepingcomputer.com)
A key part of Foxconn has been hit by the Lockbit ransomware | TechRadar
Kansas State University cyber attack disrupts IT network and services (bleepingcomputer.com)
Phishing & Email Based Attacks
Microsoft warns of new spearphishing attack targeting workers at top companies | TechRadar
US Secret Service court documents reveal new tactics in antivirus renewal phishing scam | TechRadar
Threat Actors Team Up for Post-Holiday Phishing Email Surge (darkreading.com)
Flipping the BEC funnel: Phishing in the age of GenAI - Help Net Security
US court docs expose fake antivirus renewal phishing tactics (bleepingcomputer.com)
Email threats to patients escalate after Fred Hutch cyber attack | The Seattle Times
Shipping-Themed Emails: Not Just for The Holidays - Security Boulevard
Artificial Intelligence
AI driven cyber threats loom over business in the year ahead says report (emergingrisks.co.uk)
How cyber criminals are using AI to attack targets faster - Insurance Post (postonline.co.uk)
Adversaries exploit trends, target popular GenAI apps - Help Net Security
The Dual Role AI Plays in Cyber Security: How to Stay Ahead (bleepingcomputer.com)
Flipping the BEC funnel: Phishing in the age of GenAI - Help Net Security
If you don’t already have a generative AI security policy, there’s no time to lose | CSO Online
2FA/MFA
Senators want to know why the SEC’s X account wasn’t secured with MFA (engadget.com)
Out with the old and in with the improved: MFA needs a revamp - Help Net Security
MFA Spamming and Fatigue: When Security Measures Go Wrong (thehackernews.com)
Malware
GitLab Releases Updates to Address Critical Vulnerabilities (darkreading.com)
Updated Atomic Stealer malware emerges | SC Media (scmagazine.com)
Data-theft malware exploits Windows Defender SmartScreen • The Register
MacOS info-stealers quickly evolve to evade XProtect detection (bleepingcomputer.com)Balada Injector continues to infect thousands of WordPress sites (securityaffairs.com)
5 malware mistakes most people make while traveling and trying to charge (nypost.com)
Remcos RAT Spreading Through Adult Games in New Attack Wave (thehackernews.com)
Botnet activity surges as criminals get braver - can your business stand strong? | TechRadar
JinxLoader Malware: Next-Stage Payload Threats Revealed - Security Boulevard
$80M in Crypto Disappears Into Drainer-as-a-Service Malware Hell (darkreading.com)
Bigpanzi botnet infects 170,000 Android TV boxes with malware (bleepingcomputer.com)
Stealthy New macOS Backdoor Hides on Chinese Websites (darkreading.com)
Securing Public Sector Against IoT Malware in 2024 - Security Boulevard
Mobile
Denial of Service/DoS/DDOS
Internet of Things – IoT
Bigpanzi botnet infects 170,000 Android TV boxes with malware (bleepingcomputer.com)
Modernising print security for today’s working world | TechRadar
Securing Public Sector Against IoT Malware in 2024 - Security Boulevard
Data Breaches/Leaks
Insufficient cyber security caused PSNI data breach (iapp.org)
Cyber Attack On Insurer Compromised Over 64K, Suit Says - Law360
Email threats to patients escalate after Fred Hutch cyber attack | The Seattle Times
Organised Crime & Criminal Actors
Just ten groups were responsible for nearly half of all cyber attacks last year | TechRadar
Threat Actors Team Up for Post-Holiday Phishing Email Surge (darkreading.com)
GitLab Releases Updates to Address Critical Vulnerabilities (darkreading.com)
Stupid Human Tricks: Top 10 Cyber Crime Cases of 2023 - Security Boulevard
Illegal online casinos spread crypto-crime across Asia • The Register
Cryptocurrency/Cryptomining/Cryptojacking/NFTs/Blockchain
Hacker spins up 1 million virtual servers to illegally mine crypto (bleepingcomputer.com)
Illegal online casinos spread crypto-crime across Asia • The Register
Insider Risk and Insider Threats
Insurance
Underwriters concerned about ransomware and supply-chain attacks: Woodruff Sawyer - Reinsurance News
Munich Re secures cyber war exclusions at 1.1 as wording tension dissipates | Insurance Insider
With Attacks on the Upswing, Cyber Insurance Premiums Poised to Rise Too (darkreading.com)
Re-writing the underwriting story: How to navigate the complexities of modern risks (allianz.com)
Supply Chain and Third Parties
Underwriters concerned about ransomware and supply-chain attacks: Woodruff Sawyer - Reinsurance News
Capita hits back as pension holders look to sue over Russian-linked cyber attack (yahoo.com)
Improving Supply Chain Security, Resiliency (informationweek.com)
Cloud/SaaS
Insurance website's buggy API leaked Office 365 password • The Register
As Enterprise Cloud Grows, So Do Challenges (darkreading.com)
3 ways to combat rising OAuth SaaS attacks - Help Net Security
FBI: Beware of cloud-credential thieves building botnets • The Register
Weaponised AWS SES Accounts Anchor Massive Stealth Attack (darkreading.com)
Identity and Access Management
Encryption
Passwords, Credential Stuffing & Brute Force Attacks
Researcher uncovers one of the biggest password dumps in recent history | Ars Technica
Insurance website's buggy API leaked Office 365 password • The Register
FBI: Beware of cloud-credential thieves building botnets • The Register
Social Media
Malvertising
Training, Education and Awareness
The right strategy for effective cyber security awareness - Help Net Security
Before starting your 2024 security awareness program, ask these 10 questions - Security Boulevard
How to improve cyber resilience across your workforce (ft.com)
Regulations, Fines and Legislation
As hacks worsen, SEC turns up the heat on CISOs | TechCrunch
IT consultant in Germany fined for exposing shoddy security • The Register
Data regulator fines HelloFresh £140K for sending 80M+ spams • The Register
A Look at UK Domain and IP Address Seizures in the Criminal Justice Bill - ISPreview UK
Why the US Needs Comprehensive Cyber Security Legislation - Security Boulevard
Home improvement marketers dial up trouble from regulator • The Register
Models, Frameworks and Standards
10 cyber security frameworks you need to know about - Help Net Security
NIST Offers Guidance on Measuring and Improving Your Company’s Cyber Security Program | NIST
Backup and Recovery
Data Protection
Over 90 percent of organisations set to increase data protection spending (betanews.com)
Data regulator fines HelloFresh £140K for sending 80M+ spams • The Register
Careers, Working in Cyber and Information Security
Ransomware causes mental, physical trauma to security pros • The Register
Protecting the protectors: combating stress in the cyber security industry | The Independent
Best practices to mitigate alert fatigue - Help Net Security
Universities not delivering the right skills for cyber security (betanews.com)
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
World Economic Forum warns of growing ‘cyber insecurity’ amid heightened threat landscape | ITPro
Geopolitical tensions combined with technology will drive new security risks - Help Net Security
Munich Re secures cyber war exclusions at 1.1 as wording tension dissipates | Insurance Insider
Nation State Actors
China
End-of-life Cisco routers targeted by China’s Volt Typhoon group (therecord.media)
Stealthy New macOS Backdoor Hides on Chinese Websites (darkreading.com)
Feds warn China-made drones pose risk to US critical infrastructure | SC Media (scmagazine.com)
Russia
Pro-Russia group hit Swiss govt sites after Zelensky visit in Davos (securityaffairs.com)
Cyber Attack on Ukraine’s largest telecom provider will cost it about $100 million (therecord.media)
Russia finds way around sanctions on battlefield tech: report – POLITICO
Moscow imports a third of battlefield tech from western companies (ft.com)
Prolific Russian hacking unit using custom backdoor for the first time | CyberScoop
Iran
Other Nation State Actors, Hacktivism, Extremism, Terrorism and Other Geopolitical Threat Intelligence
Vulnerability Management
Vulnerabilities
CISA: Critical SharePoint vuln is under active exploitation • The Register
Ivanti Connect Secure zero-days now under mass exploitation (bleepingcomputer.com)
Juniper warns of critical RCE bug in its firewalls and switches (bleepingcomputer.com)
Over 178,000 SonicWall next-generation firewalls (NGFW) online exposed to hack (securityaffairs.com)
VMware Urges Customers to Patch Critical Aria Automation Vulnerability - SecurityWeek
Zero-Day Alert: Update Chrome Now to Fix New Actively Exploited Vulnerability (thehackernews.com)
Two more Citrix NetScaler bugs exploited in the wild • The Register
Atlassian warns of critical RCE flaw in older Confluence versions (bleepingcomputer.com)
End-of-life Cisco routers targeted by China’s Volt Typhoon group (therecord.media)
Windows 10 security update requires some major changes - experts only need apply | TechRadar
GitLab Patches Critical Password Reset Vulnerability - SecurityWeek
Balada Injector continues to infect thousands of WordPress sites (securityaffairs.com)
Vulnerabilities Expose PAX Payment Terminals to Hacking - SecurityWeek
Government, Military Targeted as Widespread Exploitation of Ivanti Zero-Days Begins - SecurityWeek
Most older iPhones, Macs, and iPads are vulnerable to GPU flaw (appleinsider.com)
New UEFI vulnerabilities send firmware devs across an entire ecosystem scrambling | Ars Technica
Opera MyFlaw Bug Could Let Hackers Run ANY File on Your Mac or Windows (thehackernews.com)
Tools and Controls
Akira ransomware attackers are wiping NAS and tape backups - Help Net Security
Underwriters concerned about ransomware and supply-chain attacks: Woodruff Sawyer - Reinsurance News
Munich Re secures cyber war exclusions at 1.1 as wording tension dissipates | Insurance Insider
How to improve your organisation's cyber hygiene score | World Economic Forum (weforum.org)
With Attacks on the Upswing, Cyber Insurance Premiums Poised to Rise Too (darkreading.com)
Digital resilience – a step up from cyber security | CSO Online
If you don’t already have a generative AI security policy, there’s no time to lose | CSO Online
Key elements for a successful cyber risk management strategy - Help Net Security
Preventing insider access from leaking to malicious actors - Help Net Security
Over 90 percent of organisations set to increase data protection spending (betanews.com)
As Enterprise Cloud Grows, So Do Challenges (darkreading.com)
Best practices to mitigate alert fatigue - Help Net Security
Modernising print security for today’s working world | TechRadar
MFA Spamming and Fatigue: When Security Measures Go Wrong (thehackernews.com)
Cyber incident response impaired by stress | SC Media (scmagazine.com)
Effective Incident Response Relies on Internal and External Partnerships (darkreading.com)
InfoSec 101: Why Data Loss Prevention is Important to Enterprise Defence (darkreading.com)
Digital nomads amplify identity fraud risks - Help Net Security
Out with the old and in with the improved: MFA needs a revamp - Help Net Security
The right strategy for effective cyber security awareness - Help Net Security
SOC-as-a-Service: The Five Must-Have Features - Security Boulevard
Other News
What’s on the Smartest Cyber Security Minds for 2024? (cybereason.com)
How news organisations became a prime target for cyber attacks (pressgazette.co.uk)
UK doubles spending on overseas cyber security projects (ft.com)
Huge boost for global security with almost £1 billion government investment - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
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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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.