Protecting Against Recent Ransomware Attacks

Modern ransomware attacks targeting large enterprises continue to evolve from double to triple or even quadruple extortion tactics. Discover how to stay one step ahead with our case study of the ransomware family, Nefilim...

Strategies, tools, and frameworks for building an effective threat intelligence team

How to think about building a threat intelligence program The security community is continuously changing, growing, and learning from each other to better position the world against cyber threats. In the latest Voice of the Community blog series post, Microsoft Product Marketing Manager Natalia...

Strategies, tools, and frameworks for building an effective threat intelligence team

How to think about building a threat intelligence program The security community is continuously changing, growing, and learning from each other to better position the world against cyber threats. In the latest Voice of the Community blog series post, Microsoft Product Marketing Manager Natalia...

Avaddon Ransomware Gang Evaporates Amid Global Crackdowns

Ransomware group Avaddon has decided to shutter its criminal enterprise after landing in the crosshairs of law-enforcement agencies in the U.S. and Australia. Avaddon, a prolific ransomware-as-a-service RaaS provider, released its decryption keys to BleepingComputer — 2,934 in total — with each k...

Experts Shed Light On Distinctive Tactics Used by Hades Ransomware

Cybersecurity researchers on Tuesday disclosed "distinctive" tactics, techniques, and procedures TTPs adopted by operators of Hades ransomware that set it apart from the rest of the pack, attributing it to a financially motivated threat group called GOLD WINTER. "In many ways, the GOLD WINTER...

Coronavirus phishing: “Welcome back to the office…”

As offices start to slowly open back up, the theoretically post-pandemic world is changing its threat landscape once again, and that includes the likely inclusion of coronavirus phishing attempts. With the move to remote work, attackers switched up their tactics. Personal devices and home network...

The Rapid Resurgence of DDoS Extortion (That Didn't Take Long)

Just when we thought DDoS extortion was fading into the rearview mirror, it's time to circle up the trucks again gas tanks full. Starting last week and rapidly accelerating, we began seeing in our data and hearing firsthand from organizations about a new wave of extortion activity -- new Bitcoin...

‘Agrius’ APT Launches Wiper Attacks Against Israelis

A new attack group called Agrius is launching damaging wiper attacks against Israeli targets, which researchers said are hiding behind ransomware to make their state-sponsored activities appear financially motivated. Sentinel Labs analysts said they have been tracking Agrius’ operations in Israel...

Double-Encrypting Ransomware

This seems to be a new tactic: Emsisoft has identified two distinct tactics. In the first, hackers encrypt data with ransomware A and then re-encrypt that data with ransomware B. The other path involves what Emsisoft calls a "side-by-side encryption" attack, in which attacks encrypt some of an...

Phorpiex morphs: How a longstanding botnet persists and thrives in the current threat environment

Phorpiex, an enduring botnet known for extortion campaigns and for using old-fashioned worms that spread via removable USB drives and instant messaging apps, began diversifying its infrastructure in recent years to become more resilient and to deliver more dangerous payloads. Today, the Phorphiex...

2021 Attacker Dwell Time Trends and Best Defenses

Cyberattacks have shifted from the usual smash-and-grab type of heists to stealthier campaigns where hackers silently camp out on networks for long periods, stealing anything they can get their hands on. Called attacker dwell time, this is part of an adversarial approach that has become even more...

Business email compromise: How Microsoft is combating this costly threat

Amongst all cybercrime, phishing attacks continue to be the most prevalent today. With over 90 percent of attacks coming via email, it’s important that every organization has a plan to prevent these threats from reaching users. At Microsoft, we’re passionate about providing our customers with...

CISA Incident Response to SUPERNOVA Malware

CISA has released AR21-112A: CISA Identifies SUPERNOVA Malware During Incident Response to provide analysis of a compromise in an organization’s enterprise network by an advance persistent threat actor. This report provides tactics, techniques, and procedures CISA observed during the incident...

A week in security (April 12 – 18)

Last week on Malwarebytes Labs, our podcast featured Troy Hunt, Chloé Messdaghi, and Tanya Janca who discussed security fatigue with us. We announced the release of the Malwarebytes SMB Cybersecurity Trust & Confidence Report 2021, a first-of-its-kind survey of the hardworking IT professionals on...

Ransomware Attack Creates Dutch Cheese Shortages

An Easter weekend ransomware attack on a food-logistics firm in the Netherlands has caused shortages of prepackaged cheese in supermarkets across the country. The largest Dutch grocery store chain had some bad news for a cheese-mad nation. “Due to a technical malfunction, there is limited...

100,000 Google Sites Used to Install SolarMarker RAT

Hackers are using search-engine optimization SEO tactics to lure business users to more than 100,000 malicious Google sites that seem legitimate, but instead install a remote access trojan RAT, used to gain a foothold on a network and later infect systems with ransomware, credential-stealers,...

M-Trends 2021: A View From the Front Lines

We are thrilled to launch M-Trends 2021, the 12th edition of our annual FireEye Mandiant publication. The past year has been unique, as we witnessed an unprecedented combination of global events. Business operations shifted in response to the worldwide pandemic and threat actors continued to...

Fraud Ring Launders Money Via Fake Charity Donations

A money-laundering fraud ring is targeting donation sites, taking advantage of the outpouring of charity sparked by the global pandemic. Dubbed Cart Crasher by the Sift security firm, the fraud ring leverages guest checkout options on donation sites to steal money and launder stolen payment cards...

REvil ransomware’s calling, and it’s not good news

The REvil ransomware AKA Sodinokibi, which operates as a Ransomware as a Service is adopting some outreach techniques after initial compromise, designed to shame victims into paying up. Shaming victims into action Malware authors and social engineers have relied on shame and the threat of exposur...

FBI-CISA Joint Advisory on Compromise of Microsoft Exchange Server

CISA and the Federal Bureau of Investigation FBI have released a Joint Cybersecurity Advisory CSA to address recently disclosed vulnerabilities in Microsoft Exchange Server. CISA and FBI assess that adversaries could exploit these vulnerabilities to compromise networks, steal information, encrypt...