Black Arrow Cyber Threat Briefing 13 September 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

Trustwave Report Highlights Critical Cyber Threats to Financial Services Sector

Trustwave's latest research highlights significant cyber security challenges for the financial services sector, with ransomware and phishing emerging as major threats. The report found that 49% of attacks on financial institutions originated from phishing, while 24% of ransomware incidents were linked to a single threat actor group. Insider threats also pose a substantial risk, identified as the most costly type of data breach. The US was most affected, with 65% of ransomware attacks targeting its financial services. Trustwave emphasises the need for robust defences against these growing threats that include phishing-as-a-service and insider-driven breaches.

Old Habits, New Threats, Why More Phishing Attacks are Bypassing Technical Controls

Trust in Secure Email Gateways (SEGs) is waning, with 91% of cyber security leaders expressing frustration due to the increasing sophistication of phishing attacks. In the first quarter of 2024, 52% more attacks bypassed SEG detection, exploiting limitations in signature-based and reputation-based technologies. Techniques such as polymorphic attacks, compromised accounts, and social engineering have proven effective at evading legacy systems. With 68% of successful attacks passing all verification checks, experts recommend transitioning to integrated cloud email security solutions using AI and behavioural detection to better counter modern threats.

Prolific Threat Actor Group Scattered Spider Sets Sights on Finance, Insurance Firms’ Cloud Infrastructure

Scattered Spider, a hacking group targeting finance and insurance sectors, has intensified attacks on corporate cloud systems for data exfiltration and extortion, according to SC Media. They exploit exposed cloud access tokens on platforms like GitHub and purchase stolen credentials, focusing on services like Microsoft EntraID, AWS EC-2, and Okta. Smishing (text message) campaigns have also been used to infiltrate these systems, allowing attackers to demand ransoms and resell compromised credentials. Urgent implementation of multi-factor authentication and phishing awareness programmes are recommended, alongside the removal of private access tokens in developers' codes to mitigate risks.

Cyber Criminals Target Smaller Firms as Larger Companies Beef Up Security

Cyber criminals are increasingly targeting small and medium enterprises (SMEs), as larger organisations strengthen their cyber security measures and refuse to pay ransoms. In 2023, SMEs faced a significant rise in attacks where they accounted for nearly half of all incidents. While only 10% of large organisations paid ransoms, 44% of SMEs ended up paying between $25,000 and $100,000. The impact on SMEs, both financially and reputationally, can be devastating, with many struggling to recover from such cyber attacks.

The Rise of Deepfakes Means CEOs Need to Rethink Trust

Kroll’s recent report highlights a sharp rise in social engineering attacks, which have grown from 7% to 20% of all cyber security threats in just two quarters. Alarmingly, 43% of successful cyber attacks are now linked to social engineering, driven by the use of AI technologies like deepfakes. Corporate leaders are particularly vulnerable, with AI models capable of mimicking them using information freely available online. As businesses adjust to this new reality, CEOs must rethink the concept of trust and implement stronger measures to combat AI-enabled impersonation. This is an arms race that no one can avoid being a part of. What we can do is get smart about trust, and the first step to take is building the right context for it.

What now? Ransomware Victim Pays Hacker, but Decryption Key Fails

A security firm recently intervened in a ransomware attack involving the Hazard ransomware, where a company paid the ransom but received a faulty decryptor. A bug in the ransomware’s encryption process caused files to be doubly encrypted, leading to missing bytes necessary for decryption. Despite escalating the issue to the cyber criminals, no working solution was provided. The cyber firm’s researchers eventually resolved the issue using a brute-force method to recover the files. This case highlights the risks of paying ransoms, as unreliable decryptors are not uncommon. Best practices, including robust data backups, remain critical to mitigating ransomware incidents.

UK Regulator to Significantly Reduce Maximum Fraud Losses Banks are Forced to Cover

UK regulators are expected to reduce the proposed fraud reimbursement limit for banks and payment companies from £415,000 to £85,000, following concerns from ministers and fintech firms. The Payment Systems Regulator had initially planned the higher cap, but industry bodies like UK Finance warned it could lead to exploitation and harm smaller firms. In 2023, Britons lost £459 million to authorised push payment (APP) fraud, making the issue critical for consumer protection. A consultation on the lower limit is expected soon, aiming to balance protection for scam victims with industry sustainability.

Enterprise Mobile Devices See Increased Attacks

Lookout’s latest report on the mobile threat landscape reveals a 40% increase in mobile phishing attempts and malicious web attacks targeting enterprises. Over 80,000 malicious apps were detected on enterprise mobile devices, ranging from riskware to sophisticated spyware capable of stealing data and eavesdropping. The most common vulnerabilities are found in mobile browsers, with attackers exploiting unpatched versions. Lookout highlights that mobile device management (MDM) solutions, while essential, should be complemented by mobile threat defence (MTD) solutions to effectively safeguard against phishing and malware, particularly with Android being heavily targeted by spyware, trojans and other malware.

Business Email Compromise Costs $55bn Over a Decade

The FBI has warned organisations about the increasing threat of business email compromise (BEC), a form of social engineering responsible for nearly $55bn in losses globally between October 2013 and December 2023. Over 305,000 incidents were recorded, with scammers impersonating legitimate entities, such as suppliers or executives, to trick victims into transferring large sums. In 2023, BEC scams saw a 9% increase in global losses, often funnelling funds through UK and Hong Kong banks, third-party payment processors, or cryptocurrency exchanges. The FBI urges victims to contact their banks immediately if they detect fraudulent transfers.

Half of IT Decision Makers Have Had to Recover Data from a Backup with a Third Unable to Make Full Recovery

An annual survey of IT security decision makers in the UK found that 50% of respondents had to rely on backups following a cyber attack, with 25% only achieving partial data recovery and 8% failing due to weak backup systems. The findings highlight the need for stronger backup strategies, with 9% of organisations admitting their current systems are insufficient for rapid recovery. However, progress is evident, with automated backups to central and personal repositories rising to 30% in 2024, up from 19% in 2023. The report underscores the importance of robust backup solutions in today’s cyber threat landscape.

Insurers and Asset Managers Continue to Invest in Longer Term Cyber Security Planning: Moody’s

Moody’s recent report highlights that insurers and asset managers have significantly increased their cyber security investments, with spending rising by over 50% between 2019 and 2023 in response to the growing frequency of cyber attacks. The Americas saw the largest increase at 65%, followed by EMEA at 51% and APAC at 48%. Additionally, the share of IT budgets dedicated to cyber risk grew to 8% in 2023, and the number of cyber security employees rose by 23% from 2019 to 2022.

Russia's Top-Secret Military Unit Reportedly Plots Undersea Cable 'Sabotage’

US officials are increasingly concerned about Russia's naval activity near undersea cables, fearing potential sabotage by the General Staff Main Directorate for Deep Sea Research (GUGI). This unit, equipped with surface vessels, submarines, and naval drones, has reportedly been spotted near critical deep-sea infrastructure, raising alarms about the risk to fibre-optic cables that carry over 95% of international data. Sabotaging these cables could severely disrupt global communications. Recent reports also suggest Russian spy ships have been operating in Nordic waters, targeting both submarine cables and wind farms, further highlighting the growing threat.

Think You Could Never Fall Victim to Cyber Crime? Think Again

Bitdefender's 2024 Consumer Cybersecurity Assessment Report reveals that over 75% of individuals don’t believe they are targets for cyber criminals, with 37% convinced they aren't targeted at all. This misconception leaves people more vulnerable to cyber attacks, which can range from phishing and spyware to man-in-the-middle attacks. Hackers don’t just focus on large corporations; anyone can be a target, as personal information like email addresses and dates of birth hold value. Even experienced individuals can fall for scams, proving that everyone must remain vigilant against evolving threats, especially as attacks continue to grow in sophistication and scale.

Sources

https://securitybrief.co.nz/story/trustwave-highlights-critical-cyber-threats-to-financial-services

https://betanews.com/2024/09/06/old-habits-new-threats-why-more-phishing-attacks-are-bypassing-outdated-perimeter-detection/

https://www.msspalert.com/brief/scattered-spider-sets-sights-on-finance-insurance-firms-cloud-infrastructure

https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/tech/technology/cybercriminals-target-smes-as-large-companies-beef-up-security/articleshow/113102946.cms?from=mdr

https://www.forbes.com/sites/alexanderpuutio/2024/09/07/the-rise-of-deepfakes-means-ceos-need-to-rethink-trust/

https://www.techspot.com/news/104700-ransomware-victim-paid-hacker-but-decryption-failed.html

https://www.ft.com/content/69611fac-03a2-4731-b12e-bf1583219270

https://betanews.com/2024/09/10/enterprise-mobile-devices-see-increased-attacks/

https://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/news/business-email-compromise-55bn/

https://itsecuritywire.com/news/half-of-it-decision-makers-have-had-to-recover-data-from-a-backup-with-a-third-unable-to-make-full-recovery/

https://www.reinsurancene.ws/insurers-and-asset-managers-continue-to-invest-in-longer-term-cybersecurity-planning-moodys/

https://www.theregister.com/2024/09/09/russia_readies_submarine_cable_sabotage/

https://www.makeuseof.com/how-everyone-is-potential-cybercrime-victim/



Threats

Ransomware, Extortion and Destructive Attacks

Ransomware demands exponentially increase, averaging $1.5 Million this year | TechRadar

Top Types Of Cyber Extortion Scams And 7 Ways To Stay Safe (forbes.com)

Ransomware: Attacks Once More Nearing Peak Levels | Symantec Enterprise Blogs (security.com)

What now? Ransomware victim pays hacker, but decryption key fails | TechSpot

RomCom Group Exploiting Microsoft Office 0-day To Deploy Ransomware (cybersecuritynews.com)

Ransomware rocked healthcare, public services in August | TechTarget

New Joint CISA – FBI – DC3 Guidance Advises On Ransomware Threats Linked to Iran-Backed Hackers: What Enterprises Need to Know | Alston & Bird - JDSupra

NoName ransomware gang deploying RansomHub malware in recent attacks (bleepingcomputer.com)

Palo Alto Networks details new 'Repellent Scorpius' group distributing Cicada3301 ransomware - SiliconANGLE

RansomHub Serves Up LaZagne (informationsecuritybuzz.com)

Updated attack arsenal bolsters RansomHub stealth | SC Media (scmagazine.com)

Threat Operation Behind Cicada3301 Ransomware Delivery Examined | MSSP Alert

How Law Enforcement's Ransomware Strategies Are Evolving (darkreading.com)

How Can Individuals Protect Themselves From Ransomware Attacks? (informationsecuritybuzz.com)

Most Educational Organizations Paid More Than the Original (globenewswire.com)

Meow ransomware sees surge of activity post-overhaul • The Register

Schools Face Million-Dollar Bills as Ransomware Rises - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

Should State Governments Ban Ransomware Payments? (govtech.com)

Ransomware Victims

What now? Ransomware victim pays hacker, but decryption key fails | TechSpot

Ransomware rocked healthcare, public services in August | TechTarget

Hunters claims to have ransomed ICBC London, stolen 6.6TB • The Register

Healthcare giant settles patient data theft lawsuit for $65M • The Register

Cyber crooks shut down some US, UK schools • The Register

Charles Darwin School Bromley closes due to cyber attack | News Shopper

Cyber attack-hit Tewkesbury Borough Council 'rebuilding services' - BBC News

London's transit agency drops claim it has 'no evidence' of customer data theft after hack | TechCrunch

Schools Face Million-Dollar Bills as Ransomware Rises - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

Significant ransom payment by major Iranian IT firm underway | SC Media (scmagazine.com)

Tewkesbury council says systems still down after cyber attack - BBC News

TfL Cyber Attack Raises Data Security Concerns - Hayes Connor

Plans to spend £3.2m beefing up Bristol City Council cyber security amid rise in threats of a costly attack - Bristol Live (bristolpost.co.uk)

Cyber-attack victim obtains injunction to prevent publication of stolen data | A&O Shearman - JDSupra

Amateurish 'CosmicBeetle' Ransomware Stings Turkish SMBs (darkreading.com)

Phishing & Email Based Attacks

Old habits, new threats -- Why more phishing attacks are bypassing outdated perimeter detection (betanews.com)

72% of BEC attacks were from free webmail domains | Security Magazine

Business Email Compromise Costs $55bn Over a Decade - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

Losses due to cryptocurrency and BEC scams are soaring - Help Net Security

Think You Could Never Fall Victim to Cybercrime? Think Again (makeuseof.com)

FBI: Reported cryptocurrency losses reached $5.6 billion in 2023 (bleepingcomputer.com)

Phishing in focus: Disinformation, election and identity fraud - Help Net Security

Sextortion scam now use your "cheating" spouse’s name as a lure (bleepingcomputer.com)

Alert notification as phishing bait | Kaspersky official blog

Hackers Exploit HTTP Response Header to Launch Sophisticated Phishing Attacks (cybersecuritynews.com)

Phishers abuse HTTP refresh headers for deeper deception • The Register

How to prevent vendor email compromise attacks | TechTarget

No, your partner didn't cheat on you. Well, at least, when this email said so - Neowin

Business Email Compromise (BEC)/Email Account Compromise (EAC)

72% of BEC attacks were from free webmail domains | Security Magazine

Business Email Compromise Costs $55bn Over a Decade - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

Losses due to cryptocurrency and BEC scams are soaring - Help Net Security

FBI: Reported cryptocurrency losses reached $5.6 billion in 2023 (bleepingcomputer.com)

How to prevent vendor email compromise attacks | TechTarget

Other Social Engineering

UK regulator to slash maximum fraud losses banks are forced to cover (ft.com)

North Korean spy successfully managed to infiltrate cybersecurity training firm using stolen credentials and a fake VPN — here's how you could avoid becoming a victim | TechRadar

Business Email Compromise Costs $55bn Over a Decade - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

Losses due to cryptocurrency and BEC scams are soaring - Help Net Security

Think You Could Never Fall Victim to Cybercrime? Think Again (makeuseof.com)

FBI: Reported cryptocurrency losses reached $5.6 billion in 2023 (bleepingcomputer.com)

Four Delaware men charged in international sextortion scheme that netted nearly $2 million | CyberScoop

Inside Thailand's $2 Billion Scam Industry Now Targeting Americans - Newsweek

Developers Beware: Lazarus Group Uses Fake Coding Tests to Spread Malware (thehackernews.com)

Sextortion scam now use your "cheating" spouse’s name as a lure (bleepingcomputer.com)

No, your partner didn't cheat on you. Well, at least, when this email said so - Neowin

Lured by a Promising Job, He Was Forced to Scam People - The New York Times (nytimes.com)

Watch Out for This New LinkedIn Job Scam (tech.co)

North Korean Threat Actors Deploy COVERTCATCH Malware via LinkedIn Job Scams (thehackernews.com)

Ongoing Lazarus Group campaign sets sights on blockchain pros | SC Media (scmagazine.com)

Artificial Intelligence

For security, we have to stop picking up the phone | TechCrunch

The Rise Of Deepfakes Means CEOs Need To Rethink Trust (forbes.com)

Why AI and Cybersecurity Are on a Collision Course (govtech.com)

US proposes requiring reporting for advanced AI, cloud providers (yahoo.com)

The Weaponization of AI and ML is Complicating the Digital Battlefield - Security Boulevard

Boards caught off guard as hackers exploit AI - CIR Magazine

Underground Demand for Malicious LLMs Is Robust (govinfosecurity.com)

Singapore moots legislation to outlaw use of deepfakes during elections | ZDNET

The King's Speech: 40 policy bills, a gaping AI hole and a boomerang data bill | Herbert Smith Freehills | Global law firm

MI6 and CIA using Gen AI to combat tech-driven threats • The Register

AI cybersecurity needs to be as multi-layered as the system it's protecting - Help Net Security

Early adopters are deploying AI agents in the enterprise now, with scaled adoption in 2025 | ZDNET

2FA/MFA

6 ways hackers sidestep your two-factor authentication | PCWorld

New Android Malware 'Ajina.Banker' Steals Financial Data and Bypasses 2FA via Telegram (thehackernews.com)

WordPress Mandates Two-Factor Authentication for Plugin and Theme Developers (thehackernews.com)

Malware

US charges Russian military officers for unleashing wiper malware on Ukraine | Ars Technica

New malware shakes macOS security paradigm – hackers eying iPhones next | Cybernews

Google Users Warned Of Surging Malvertising Campaigns (searchenginejournal.com)

Multiple malware families delivered exploiting GeoServer GeoTools flaw CVE-2024-36401 (securityaffairs.com)

Beware Of Malicious Chrome Extension That Delivers Weaponized ZIP Archive (cybersecuritynews.com)

Developers Beware: Lazarus Group Uses Fake Coding Tests to Spread Malware (thehackernews.com)

Mustang Panda Feeds Worm-Driven USB Attack Strategy (darkreading.com)

How Remote Access Trojans Bypass Traditional Security Measures | HackerNoon

Threat Hunting Case Study: Uncovering FIN7 | Intel471

New Linux Malware Campaign Exploits Oracle Weblogic to Mine Cryptocurrency (thehackernews.com)

Earth Preta Evolves its Attacks with New Malware and Strategies | Trend Micro (US)

North Korean Threat Actors Deploy COVERTCATCH Malware via LinkedIn Job Scams (thehackernews.com)

Android TV Box Malware, Vo1d, Infects Over A Million Devices Worldwide (informationsecuritybuzz.com)

Mobile

Enterprise mobile devices see increased attacks (betanews.com)

New Lookout Threat Research Proves Mobile Security Should Be Central to Modern Data Protection Strategies | Business Wire

SpyAgent Android malware steals your crypto recovery phrases from images (bleepingcomputer.com)

New malware shakes macOS security paradigm – hackers eying iPhones next | Cybernews

Found: 280 Android apps that use OCR to steal cryptocurrency credentials | Ars Technica

New Android Malware 'Ajina.Banker' Steals Financial Data and Bypasses 2FA via Telegram (thehackernews.com)

Is your phone listening? Marketing firm confirms tech behind targeted ads | Tech News - Business Standard

Samsung’s Update Decision—Bad News Confirmed For Millions Of Galaxy Users (forbes.com)

Denial of Service/DoS/DDOS

DDoS Attacks Double With Governments Most Targeted - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

Internet of Things – IoT

Smart home security advice. Ring, SimpliSafe, Swann, and Yale | Pen Test Partners

Android TV Box Malware, Vo1d, Infects Over A Million Devices Worldwide (informationsecuritybuzz.com)

Data Breaches/Leaks

Data breach victims skyrocket over 1,100%: How to protect yourself - CyberGuy

Why is the world witnessing a surge in data breaches? (betanews.com)

Threat Actor Claims Fortinet Data Breach via Third-Party Service (cybersecuritynews.com)

Cyber-crook leaks 20GB of data 'stolen' from Capgemini • The Register

Fortinet Confirms Data Breach (informationsecuritybuzz.com)

Understanding the Types of Cybersecurity Breaches - Security Boulevard

Therapy Sessions Exposed by Mental Health Care Firm’s Unsecured Database | WIRED

Car rental company Avis discloses a data breach (securityaffairs.com)

Popular French retailers confirm hackers stole customer data (therecord.media)

Payment gateway data breach affects 1.7 million credit card owners (bleepingcomputer.com)

Mystery database containing sensitive info on 762,000 car-owners discovered by researchers | TechRadar

300,000 Impacted by Data Breach at Car Rental Firm Avis - SecurityWeek

Organised Crime & Criminal Actors

Think You Could Never Fall Victim to Cyber Crime? Think Again (makeuseof.com)

Cyber skills for sale: what leaders can learn from the dark web - Raconteur

Analysis of thousands of channels reveals Telegram is flooded with criminal networks | TechSpot

Russian, Kazakhstani men living in Miami indicted over cybercrime training service | CyberScoop

Inside Thailand's $2 Billion Scam Industry Now Targeting Americans - Newsweek

Hacker pleads guilty after arriving on plane from Ukraine with a laptop crammed full of stolen credit card details (bitdefender.com)

In Wake of Durov Arrest, Some Cybercriminals Ditch Telegram (404media.co)

Threat Hunting Case Study: Uncovering FIN7 | Intel471

Comms Business - BT logs 2,000 signals of potential cyber attacks per second

Evasion Tactics Used By Cybercriminals To Fly Under The Radar - SecurityWeek

How Telegram Became a Playground for Criminals, Extremists and Terrorists - The New York Times (nytimes.com)

FBI Cracks Down on Dark Web Marketplace Managed by Russian and Kazakh Nationals (thehackernews.com)

Chinese hackers linked to cybercrime syndicate arrested in Singapore (bleepingcomputer.com)

Seven men charged over links to global syndicate that conducts 'malicious cyber activities' - CNA (channelnewsasia.com)

Lured by a Promising Job, He Was Forced to Scam People - The New York Times (nytimes.com)

Cambodian senator sanctioned by US over cyber-scams • The Register

Cryptocurrency/Cryptomining/Cryptojacking/NFTs/Blockchain

Losses due to cryptocurrency and BEC scams are soaring - Help Net Security

FBI: Reported cryptocurrency losses reached $5.6 billion in 2023 (bleepingcomputer.com)

Found: 280 Android apps that use OCR to steal cryptocurrency credentials | Ars Technica

Crypto Scams Reach New Heights, FBI Reports $5.6bn in Losses - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

Indodax hacked for $22 million, Lazarus Group suspected | Invezz

New Linux Malware Campaign Exploits Oracle Weblogic to Mine Cryptocurrency (thehackernews.com)

Ongoing Lazarus Group campaign sets sights on blockchain pros | SC Media (scmagazine.com)

Insider Risk and Insider Threats

Why is employee surveillance and tracking on the rise?

Insurance

Competition Fueled by Strong Cyber Insurance Profitability, Pricing Declines (claimsjournal.com)

Cyber threat needs public sector response (emergingrisks.co.uk)

Cyber insurance set for explosive growth - Help Net Security

62% of Businesses Filed a Cyber Insurance Claim in Last 12 Months | MSSP Alert

Supply Chain and Third Parties

Scattered Spider Sets Sights on Finance, Insurance Firms’ Cloud Infrastructure | MSSP Alert

Threat Actor Claims Fortinet Data Breach via Third-Party Service (cybersecuritynews.com)

One More Tool Will Do It? Reflecting on the CrowdStrike Fallout (thehackernews.com)

Think rebuild, not recovery, after a supply chain attack (betanews.com)

The Rising Tide of Software Supply Chain Attacks (darkreading.com)

Why the CrowdStrike outage hit Delta so hard | Fortune

Cloud/SaaS

Scattered Spider Sets Sights on Finance, Insurance Firms’ Cloud Infrastructure | MSSP Alert

US proposes requiring reporting for advanced AI, cloud providers (yahoo.com)

Cloud security fears, rising costs, privacy concerns? | ITPro

Shining a Light on Shadow Apps: The Invisible Gateway to SaaS Data Breaches (thehackernews.com)

Microsoft 365 was down for thousands of users - here's what happened | ZDNET

Why cloud security strategy is changing to prioritise recovery - Raconteur

Outages

One More Tool Will Do It? Reflecting on the CrowdStrike Fallout (thehackernews.com)

Microsoft 365 was down for thousands of users - here's what happened | ZDNET

Microsoft, Cyber Firms Pursue Changes After CrowdStrike Outage (claimsjournal.com)

Why the CrowdStrike outage hit Delta so hard | Fortune

Identity and Access Management

Hackers Can Abuse Active Directory Certificate Services to Establish Persistence (cybersecuritynews.com)

Encryption

Is Your Business Ready For The Quantum Cybersecurity Threat? (informationsecuritybuzz.com)

The Quantum Leap in Cybersecurity: A New Era of Challenges (eetimes.eu)

Edward Snowden made China a quantum networking superpower • The Register

Linux and Open Source

Open Source Updates Have 75% Chance of Breaking Apps - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

Linux and open-source documentation is a mess: Here's the solution | ZDNET

How to Explain the Security Advantages of Open Source - The New Stack

Passwords, Credential Stuffing & Brute Force Attacks

Credential Theft Protection: Defending Your Organization’s Data | MSSP Alert

How to defend against brute force and password spray attacks (bleepingcomputer.com)

The $13 billion problem: Tackling the growing sophistication of account takeovers (betanews.com)

Social Media

Analysis of thousands of channels reveals Telegram is flooded with criminal networks | TechSpot

In Wake of Durov Arrest, Some Cybercriminals Ditch Telegram (404media.co)

Opinion | The Tide May Be Turning for Telegram, TikTok and X - The New York Times (nytimes.com)

No more free pass: Regulation starts to crack down on social media platforms | Technology | EL PAÍS English (elpais.com)

Starlink's capitulation to Brazil and Telegram's house cleaning show the game has changed for tech titans in a big way | Fortune

US arrests leaders of alleged Telegram terrorist group - BBC News

Watch Out for This New LinkedIn Job Scam (tech.co)

Malvertising

Google Users Warned Of Surging Malvertising Campaigns (searchenginejournal.com)

Google abusing ad tech dominance, UK competition watchdog finds - BBC News

Is your phone listening? Marketing firm confirms tech behind targeted ads | Tech News - Business Standard

Regulations, Fines and Legislation

US proposes requiring reporting for advanced AI, cloud providers (yahoo.com)

In Wake of Durov Arrest, Some Cybercriminals Ditch Telegram (404media.co)

How to Hire a CISO as Scrutiny Intensifies | Woodruff Sawyer - JDSupra

Opinion | The Tide May Be Turning for Telegram, TikTok and X - The New York Times (nytimes.com)

No more free pass: Regulation starts to crack down on social media platforms | Technology | EL PAÍS English (elpais.com)

Starlink's capitulation to Brazil and Telegram's house cleaning show the game has changed for tech titans in a big way | Fortune

US arrests leaders of alleged Telegram terrorist group - BBC News

The King's Speech: 40 policy bills, a gaping AI hole and a boomerang data bill | Herbert Smith Freehills | Global law firm

Google abusing ad tech dominance, UK competition watchdog finds - BBC News

Malaysia introduces a new Cyber Security Act | Herbert Smith Freehills | Global law firm

Backup and Recovery

Half of IT Leaders Faced Backup Recovery & One-Third Failed (itsecuritywire.com)

Careers, Working in Cyber and Information Security

Global Study Finds Organizations Facing Cybersecurity Gaps (govtech.com)

Building a career where you have the power to do the most good (siliconrepublic.com)

Cyber skills for sale: what leaders can learn from the dark web - Raconteur

Internships can be a gold mine for cybersecurity hiring | CSO Online

Cyber Staffing Shortages Remain CISOs' Biggest Challenge (darkreading.com)

Why Breaking into Cybersecurity Isn’t as Easy as You Think - Security Boulevard

We can try to bridge the cybersecurity skills gap, but that doesn’t necessarily mean more jobs for defenders (talosintelligence.com)

Mind the talent gap: Infosec jobs abound, but hiring is flat • The Register

Cybersecurity Workforce Gap Rises by 19% Amid Budget Pressures - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

10 Writing Tips for Cybersecurity Professionals (darkreading.com)

Law Enforcement Action and Take Downs

Russian, Kazakhstani men living in Miami indicted over cybercrime training service | CyberScoop

In Wake of Durov Arrest, Some Cybercriminals Ditch Telegram (404media.co)

Hacker pleads guilty after arriving on plane from Ukraine with a laptop crammed full of stolen credit card details (bitdefender.com)

Four Delaware men charged in international sextortion scheme that netted nearly $2 million | CyberScoop

US arrests leaders of alleged Telegram terrorist group - BBC News

How Law Enforcement's Ransomware Strategies Are Evolving (darkreading.com)

17-year-old arrested in connection with cyber attack on TfL | UK News | Sky News

Arrest made in NCA investigation into Transport for London cyber attack - National Crime Agency

FBI Cracks Down on Dark Web Marketplace Managed by Russian and Kazakh Nationals (thehackernews.com)

Chinese hackers linked to cybercrime syndicate arrested in Singapore (bleepingcomputer.com)

Seven men charged over links to global syndicate that conducts 'malicious cyber activities' - CNA (channelnewsasia.com)

Misinformation, Disinformation and Propaganda

Russian ‘Doppelganger’ influence campaign exposed through internal documents, seized accounts | SC Media (scmagazine.com)

Russia’s election influence efforts show sophistication, officials say - The Washington Post

Intel officials: Moscow built US influencer networks, danger growing from Iran ahead of vote - Washington Times

Russia focusing on US social media stars to covertly influence voters | Reuters

‘Guerrilla projects’: Russia revels in US allegations of media warfare | Media News | Al Jazeera

Phishing in focus: Disinformation, election and identity fraud - Help Net Security

Gallup: Pollster Acts to Close Down Security Threat - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

The US is Preparing Criminal Charges in Iran Hack Targeting Trump, AP Sources Say - SecurityWeek

Cybersecurity, disinformation dominates hearing on elections | CyberScoop

Russia Trying to Sway Voters Toward Trump Using Influencers: Official - Business Insider

Gallup Poll Bugs Open Door to Election Misinformation (darkreading.com)


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

Cyber Warfare and Cyber Espionage

The Biggest Cyber Warfare Attacks In Global Geopolitics (informationsecuritybuzz.com)

The Weaponization of AI and ML is Complicating the Digital Battlefield - Security Boulevard

Nation State Actors

China

Mustang Panda Feeds Worm-Driven USB Attack Strategy (darkreading.com)

Experts Identify 3 Chinese-Linked Clusters Behind Cyberattacks in Southeast Asia (thehackernews.com)

Chinese Tag Team APTs Keep Stealing Asian Gov't Secrets (darkreading.com)

Earth Preta Evolves its Attacks with New Malware and Strategies | Trend Micro (US)

TIDRONE Espionage Group Targets Taiwan Drone Makers in Cyber Campaign (thehackernews.com)

Edward Snowden made China a quantum networking superpower • The Register

Pro-Russian Hackers Reportedly Disrupt Taiwan Stock Exchange On Thursday, Services Restored In 22 Minutes - Benzinga

China-Linked Threat Actors Target Taiwan Military Industry - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

Mystery database containing sensitive info on 762,000 car-owners discovered by researchers | TechRadar

House Committee Warns of Chinese Cranes' Threat to U.S. Port Security (gcaptain.com)

Hunters claims to have ransomed ICBC London, stolen 6.6TB • The Register

Chinese hackers linked to cybercrime syndicate arrested in Singapore (bleepingcomputer.com)

Portuguese government to continue ban on Chinese 5G equipment (techmonitor.ai)

Russia

Russia reportedly readies submarine cable 'sabotage' • The Register

Russia’s election influence efforts show sophistication, officials say - The Washington Post

Intel officials: Moscow built U.S. influencer networks, danger growing from Iran ahead of vote - Washington Times

US Offers $10 Million for Info on Russian Cadet Blizzard Hackers Behind Major Attacks (thehackernews.com)

Germany Accuses Russia’s GRU Military Intelligence of Cyberattacks on NATO, EU - The Moscow Times

NCSC Calls Out Cyber-Attacks From Russia's GRU (silicon.co.uk)

US charges Russian military officers for unleashing wiper malware on Ukraine | Ars Technica

US Offers $60 Million Bounty in Hunt for Russian Hackers - Newsweek

Russian ‘Doppelganger’ influence campaign exposed through internal documents, seized accounts | SC Media (scmagazine.com)

'De facto cyberwar' — Poland says it uncovered 'saboteurs' working for Russia, Belarus (kyivindependent.com)

Western intelligence warns Russia targeting aid to Ukraine - Naval Technology (naval-technology.com)

‘Guerrilla projects’: Russia revels in US allegations of media warfare | Media News | Al Jazeera

The UK Defense Intelligence Confirms russia’s Intelligence Role in the WhisperGate Attacks | Defense Express (defence-ua.com)

Russia Trying to Sway Voters Toward Trump Using Influencers: Official - Business Insider

Russia focusing on US social media stars to covertly influence voters | Reuters

Wix to block Russian users starting September 12 (bleepingcomputer.com)

Iran

The Biggest Cyber Warfare Attacks In Global Geopolitics (informationsecuritybuzz.com)

Intel officials: Moscow built U.S. influencer networks, danger growing from Iran ahead of vote - Washington Times

New Joint CISA – FBI – DC3 Guidance Advises On Ransomware Threats Linked to Iran-Backed Hackers: What Enterprises Need to Know | Alston & Bird - JDSupra

Advisory warns of Iran ransomware threat (baselinemag.com)

The Iran cyber threat: Breaking down attack tactics | ITPro

The US is Preparing Criminal Charges in Iran Hack Targeting Trump, AP Sources Say - SecurityWeek

Iranian Cyber Group OilRig Targets Iraqi Government in Sophisticated Malware Attack (thehackernews.com)

Significant ransom payment by major Iranian IT firm underway | SC Media (scmagazine.com)

North Korea

North Korean spy successfully managed to infiltrate cybersecurity training firm using stolen credentials and a fake VPN — here's how you could avoid becoming a victim | TechRadar

Developers Beware: Lazarus Group Uses Fake Coding Tests to Spread Malware (thehackernews.com)

Indodax hacked for $22 million, Lazarus Group suspected | Invezz

North Korean Threat Actors Deploy COVERTCATCH Malware via LinkedIn Job Scams (thehackernews.com)

How not to hire a North Korean IT spy | CSO Online

Watch Out for This New LinkedIn Job Scam (tech.co)

Ongoing Lazarus Group campaign sets sights on blockchain pros | SC Media (scmagazine.com)

Other Nation State Actors, Hacktivism, Extremism, Terrorism and Other Geopolitical Threat Intelligence

Commercial Spyware Use Roars Back Despite Sanctions (darkreading.com)

Predator Spyware Resurfaces: Renewed Threats And Global Implications (informationsecuritybuzz.com)

US arrests leaders of alleged Telegram terrorist group - BBC News

Bomb threats are cyber attack - News - Rádio RSI English (rtvs.sk)


Tools and Controls

Underinvestment blamed for IT security compliance failures - Data Centre & Network News (dcnnmagazine.com)

AI cybersecurity needs to be as multi-layered as the system it's protecting - Help Net Security

Half of IT Leaders Faced Backup Recovery & One-Third Failed (itsecuritywire.com)

CTEM: The next frontier in cybersecurity | TechRadar

Old habits, new threats -- Why more phishing attacks are bypassing outdated perimeter detection (betanews.com)

Top API risks and how to mitigate them | TechTarget

Credential Theft Protection: Defending Your Organization’s Data | MSSP Alert

Best practices for implementing the Principle of Least Privilege - Help Net Security

Inside the Secrets of Physical Penetration Testing | HackerNoon

Competition Fueled by Strong Cyber Insurance Profitability, Pricing Declines (claimsjournal.com)

6 ways hackers sidestep your two-factor authentication | PCWorld

Think rebuild, not recovery, after a supply chain attack (betanews.com)

Data centres to be given massive boost and protections from cyber criminals and IT blackouts - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Hackers Can Abuse Active Directory Certificate Services to Establish Persistence (cybersecuritynews.com)

WordPress Mandates Two-Factor Authentication for Plugin and Theme Developers (thehackernews.com)

Cybersecurity Compliance and Beyond: How Protocols Drive Innovation and Growth - Security Boulevard

Cyber threat needs public sector response (emergingrisks.co.uk)

Cyber insurance set for explosive growth - Help Net Security

How Effective Threat Hunting Programs are Shaping Cybersecurity - Security Boulevard

8 key aspects of a mobile device security audit program | TechTarget

Why cloud security strategy is changing to prioritise recovery - Raconteur

Threat Actors Are Finding it Easier Than Ever to Breach Cyber-Defenses: Enter Data-Centric Security (comforte.com)

62% of Businesses Filed a Cyber Insurance Claim in Last 12 Months, Indicating MSSP Opportunities | MSSP Alert

MI6 and CIA using Gen AI to combat tech-driven threats • The Register


Other News

Cybercriminals target SMEs as large companies beef up security - The Economic Times (indiatimes.com)

Insurers and asset managers continue to invest in longer term cybersecurity planning: Moody's - Reinsurance News

Businesses' preparedness against cyber threats beginning to shrink: Beazley - Reinsurance News

The Escalating Threat of Cybercrime and the Urgent Need for Advanced Defenses (thefastmode.com)

ICO and NCA sign memorandum of understanding for further collaboration on cyber security | ICO

UK National Crime Agency, responsible for fighting cybercrime, ‘on its knees,’ warns report (therecord.media)

How to Strengthen and Improve Your Company's Security Posture - Security Boulevard

The Biggest Cybersecurity Threats Facing Small Businesses Today - DevX

Cybernews Business Digital Index reveals major shortcomings in corporate customer data security | Cybernews

Your travel guide to public Wi-Fi, security and privacy (securitybrief.co.nz)

Data centres deemed 'critical infrastructure' by government | NASDAQ:AMZN (proactiveinvestors.co.uk)

Threat Actors Are Finding it Easier Than Ever to Breach Cyber-Defenses: Enter Data-Centric Security (comforte.com)

City Hall staff told to disconnect from wifi and work from home after cyber-attack on TfL - Harrow Online

Rogue WHOIS server gives researcher superpowers no one should ever have | Ars Technica

Microsoft Office 2024 to disable ActiveX controls by default (bleepingcomputer.com)

New RAMBO attack steals data using RAM in air-gapped computers (bleepingcomputer.com)

Cyberattacks on US utilities surged 70% this year, says Check Point (yahoo.com)

Operational Technology Leaves Itself Open to Cyber-Attack - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

How cybercriminals attack young gamers: the most common and dangerous scams | Kaspersky official blog

The future of automotive cybersecurity: Treating vehicles as endpoints - Help Net Security

How higher ed can stay ahead of growing cyber threats - eCampus News

Homeland Security seeks private-sector advice to avert devastating cyberattacks on ports, ships | Just The News

Cisco merch shoppers stung in CosmicSting attack • The Register

Shipping has left gates ‘wide open’ for cyber attacks | TradeWinds (tradewindsnews.com)

Aviation sector requires proactive defense through AI, machine learning, and real-time threat detection, says DG BCAS – ThePrint – ANIFeed


Vulnerability Management

Open Source Updates Have 75% Chance of Breaking Apps - Infosecurity Magazine (infosecurity-magazine.com)

Vulnerabilities

Microsoft Patch Tuesday security updates for September 2024 addressed four actively exploited zero-days (securityaffairs.com)

SonicWall SSLVPN access control flaw is now exploited in attacks (bleepingcomputer.com)

Critical remote code execution vulnerability discovered in Microsoft Windows Wi-Fi drivers | TechRadar

Cisco Patches High-Severity Vulnerabilities in Network Operating System - SecurityWeek

Veeam patches critical flaws, urges users to update (computing.co.uk)

Citrix Releases Security Updates for Citrix Workspace App for Windows | CISA

RomCom Group Exploiting Microsoft Office 0-day To Deploy Ransomware (cybersecuritynews.com)

Multiple malware families delivered exploiting GeoServer GeoTools flaw CVE-2024-36401 (securityaffairs.com)

Ivanti fixes maximum severity RCE bug in Endpoint Management software (bleepingcomputer.com)

Adobe Patches Critical, Code Execution Flaws in Multiple Products - SecurityWeek

Chrome 128 Update Resolves High-Severity Vulnerabilities - SecurityWeek

Intel Warns of 20+ Processor Vulnerabilities, Advises Firmware Updates - SecurityWeek

Adobe fixes Acrobat Reader zero-day with public PoC exploit (bleepingcomputer.com)

Palo Alto Networks Patches Dozens of Vulnerabilities  - SecurityWeek

Zyxel fixes critical command injection flaw in EOL NAS devices (CVE-2024-6342) - Help Net Security

Microsoft fixes Windows Smart App Control zero-day exploited since 2018 (bleepingcomputer.com)

GitLab Patches Critical Flaw Allowing Unauthorized Pipeline Job Execution (thehackernews.com)

Samsung’s Update Decision—Bad News Confirmed For Millions Of Galaxy Users (forbes.com)


Sector Specific

Industry specific threat intelligence reports are available.

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

·         Automotive

·         Construction

·         Critical National Infrastructure (CNI)

·         Defence & Space

·         Education & Academia

·         Energy & Utilities

·         Estate Agencies

·         Financial Services

·         FinTech

·         Food & Agriculture

·         Gaming & Gambling

·         Government & Public Sector (including Law Enforcement)

·         Health/Medical/Pharma

·         Hotels & Hospitality

·         Insurance

·         Legal

·         Manufacturing

·         Maritime

·         Oil, Gas & Mining

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

·         Retail & eCommerce

·         Small and Medium Sized Businesses (SMBs)

·         Startups

·         Telecoms

·         Third Sector & Charities

·         Transport & Aviation

·         Web3


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.

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Black Arrow Cyber Threat Briefing 20 September 2024

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Black Arrow Cyber Advisory 11 September 2024 – Microsoft Patch Tuesday, Adobe and Ivanti Security Updates