Catching the RAT called Agent Tesla

For the last few years, the Qualys Research Team has been observing an infamous "Malware-as-a-service" RAT Remote Access Trojan called Agent Tesla. It first appeared in 2014, and since then many variants have been deployed. This malware uses multiple techniques for evading detection as well as...

Vulnerability Remediation: It’s Not Just Patching

Vulnerability does not equal a patch, as such remediating a detected vulnerability requires deploying the right patches and, in some cases, making the right configuration changes. Using multiple tools to detect, map and deploy the right remediation actions is time consuming and will result in les...

Simplifying Cloud Asset Identification in a Multi-Cloud Environment

Enterprises struggle to get an accurate asset inventory in multi-cloud or hybrid cloud environments. Qualys enhances the metadata for cloud assets while simplifying the collection process. This blog explains how this functionality expedites the identification process, easily identifies vulnerable...

PwnKit: Local Privilege Escalation Vulnerability Discovered in polkit’s pkexec (CVE-2021-4034)

The Qualys Research Team has discovered a memory corruption vulnerability in polkits pkexec, a SUID-root program that is installed by default on every major Linux distribution. This easily exploited vulnerability allows any unprivileged user to gain full root privileges on a vulnerable host by...

The Chaos Ransomware Can Be Ravaging

The Qualys Research Team has observed a new version of Chaos ransomware in development. This blog reviews the malware’s updated functionality as well as its ongoing evolution. A ransomware builder called Chaos is still actively under development. The fourth version has recently been observed bein...

Automating Agent-less Vulnerability Assessment for Intune Enrolled Mobile Devices

Most Mobile Device Management solutions lack critical functionality such as vulnerability assessment and patch management. Integration with a popular MDM like Microsoft Intune allows Qualys to provide automated onboarding and continuous scanning of your mobile devices, among other functions to...

Microsoft & Adobe Patch Tuesday (January 2022) – Microsoft 126 Vulnerabilities with 9 Critical, Adobe 41 Vulnerabilities, 22 critical

Microsoft Patch Tuesday – January 2022 Microsoft patched 126 vulnerabilities in their January 2022 Patch Tuesday release. Out of these, nine are rated as critical severity. As of this writing, none of the 126 vulnerabilities are known to be actively exploited. Microsoft has fixed problems in thei...

How to Make Log4Shell Remediation Quick & Effective

Confronting the Log4Shell vulnerability in your environment has seemed anything but “easy” due to its prevalence in Java applications. Rapid remediation is critical. In this blog, Qualys offers some advice – and a new utility – to speed up the process. Remediation is a critical step to ensure tha...

Emotet Re-emerges with Help from TrickBot

Emotet has recently reemerged after being taken down less than a year ago by global law enforcement as coordinated by Europol and Eurojust. The takedown was achieved after law enforcement compromised a command-and-control system, and then pushed a specially crafted update to Emotet agents that...

Mitigation of Supply Chain Risks in Microsoft 365

In this blog we review five attack techniques exploited to compromise MS 365 tenants. Qualys SaaS Detection & Response can be used by both IT and security teams to assess these threats, and then to fix common misconfigurations, hardening supply chain defenses. Last October, news of Microsoft 365 ...

Log4Shell – Follow This Multi-Layered Approach for Detection and Remediation

Since the Log4Shell vulnerability was first discovered, Qualys has analyzed and responded to the threat in a systematic way approaching it from all angles – detection, mitigation and remediation. Recognizing the challenge it poses to large enterprises, we recommend that organizations follow a...

How to Discover Log4Shell Vulnerabilities in Running Containers & Images

If you run Java applications in containers, then it is critical that you check for Log4Shell vulnerabilities, given the high severity of this potential exploit. Qualys Container Security offers multiple methods to help you detect Log4Shell in your container environment. The Container Security...

Qualys Integrates with Shodan to Help Map the External Attack Surface

Qualys CyberSecurity Asset Management CSAM now natively integrates with Shodan to enable cybersecurity teams to identify all assets visible on the internet, including previously unknown and potential security issues… before attackers find them. Your attack surface is dynamic. Assets come and go,...

New Options Profiles for Log4Shell Detection

We have now added two new option profiles to our library for Log4Shell vulnerabilities. Option profiles define the settings you want to use for your scan. These new option profiles are tuned to quickly detect the Log4Shell vulnerability on assets in your environment. The following two...

6 Ways to Quickly Detect a Log4Shell Exploit in Your Environment

In recent days, the cybersecurity industry has been rapidly assessing the full impact of the Log4Shell CVE-2021-44228 and CVE-2021-45046 vulnerability. Many organizations are quickly trying to figure out whether this vulnerability is within their environment, and where. The next question a securi...

Out-of-Band Detection for Log4Shell

Log4j is the de facto logging library for all Java applications, as Log4j is used in most Java-based applications. The challenge is that Java applications that use the log4j-vulnerable library can be coded, packaged, and deployed using different methods – this introduces a challenge for detection...

Is Your Web Application Exploitable By Log4Shell Vulnerability?

On December 09, 2021, a critical remote code execution vulnerability was identified in Apache Log4j2 after proof-of-concepts were leaked publicly, affecting Apache Log4j 2.x = 2.15.0-rc1. The vulnerability is being tracked as CVE-2021-44228 with CVSSv3 10 score and affects numerous applications...

Log4Shell Exploit Detection and Response with Qualys Multi-Vector EDR

Author: Hiep Dang & Malware Threat Research Team On Dec 9, 2021, the world first learned about the Log4Shell vulnerability aka Log4J CVE-2021-44228 found in the Log4j2 library commonly used by Java applications. Since then, everyone in the cybersecurity industry has been scrambling to understand...

Detect Exploitation Attempts With Qualys XDR (Beta)

The recently announced Log4JShell / CVE-2021-44228 exploit is the latest reminder of why it’s so important to maintain an enterprise-wide view of your security posture. The heart of the exploit centers around misuse of the JNDI lookup function built into log4j. Impact: There are multiple proofs o...

Microsoft & Adobe Patch Tuesday (December 2021) – Microsoft 83 Vulnerabilities with 7 Critical, 1 Actively Exploited. Adobe 60 Vulnerabilities, 28 critical.

Microsoft Patch Tuesday – December 2021 Microsoft patched 83 vulnerabilities in their December 2021 Patch Tuesday release, of which seven 7 are rated as critical severity. This months release includes one 1 Zero Day known to be actively exploited. Products impacted by Microsofts December security...

Developing a Repeatable and Sustainable Security Exploitable Risk Reporting Program

Introduction The key to creating a practical Reporting Philosophy is/are well-written vulnerability management policies, standards, and guidelines. These are often referred to as a Security, Governance, Risk, and Compliance SGRC program and a well-defined risk exception and acceptance RA program,...

CVE-2021-44228: Apache Log4j2 Zero-Day Exploited in the Wild (Log4Shell)

Update Take advantage of our free service to quickly detect vulnerabilities in your external attack surface. Visit qualys.com/was-log4shell-help to get started. Update – December 22, 2021 7:53 PM ET A bug in external scanners could result in false negatives when unauthenticated Log4Shell scans we...

RANSOMWARE: Ranzy Locker

On 25 October 2021, the FBI released a report documenting their findings about a ransomware variant known as Ranzy Locker. While Ranzy Locker has not been used as prolifically as Conti or Darkside, it does leverage some of the same old ransomware tricks to attack its victims. In conjunction with...

Continuous Security Hardening and Monitoring for IBM® z/OS® Mainframes and Databases Using Qualys Policy Compliance

Mainframes are a key infrastructure component for many enterprises worldwide. Arguably the most secure, reliable, and efficient computing platform, mainframes hold some 70% of the worlds business-critical data. Even though they are highly secure and resilient, it’s a common misconception that...

It’s a Wrap! QSC 2021 Las Vegas Laid Out Problems, Solutions and Innovation

Although organizations have made moves toward it for years, digital transformation, in a way, has only just begun. The pandemic may have accelerated migration to the cloud but going forward business will drive continued transformation—and innovation. But to get the most out of the investments in...

Euronet Worldwide: Speedy, Global Response to Threats Reduces Risk

After years of using manual processes and systems to manage its IT inventory and track vulnerabilities, racking up costs, and increasing the complexity of asset and vulnerability management, Euronet Worldwide needed a way to get a single, accurate and timely view of risk exposure at the group...

QSC Day 2 Recap: Innovation Makes for Better Defense, Improves Resilience

If 2020 was the year of disruption, then 2021 was characterized by high-profile—and low-profile—cyberattacks against the likes of JBS Supply, Colonial Pipeline, and Kaseya. Three years that underscored the need for organizations not only to defend themselves but to become resilient to weather and...

Conti Ransomware

Conti is a sophisticated Ransomware-as-a-Service RaaS model first detected in December 2019. Since its inception, its use has grown rapidly and has even displaced the use of other RaaS tools like Ryuk. The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency CISA and the Federal Bureau of Investigati...

QSC Day 1 Recap: As Threats Intensify, Qualys Helps Organizations Shore Up Security

Cyberattacks are occurring more frequently. They’re also more damaging. And they’re only likely to get worse. Chris Krebs should know—for the two years he served as director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency CISA, he was charged with sussing out threats, sounding the alarm t...

Security Automation Critical to the Digital Journey

QSC Day 1 Recap After a stressful two years of disruption and an uptick in damaging cyberattacks, security teams are overwhelmed and understaffed. As QSC 2021 kicks off in Las Vegas, Qualys President and CEO Sumedh Thakar explains how automation can relieve the burden and bolster companies’...

Microsoft & Adobe Patch Tuesday (November 2021) – Microsoft 55 Vulnerabilities with 6 Critical, 6 Zero-Days. Adobe 4 Vulnerabilities

Microsoft Patch Tuesday – November 2021 Microsoft patched 55 vulnerabilities in their November 2021 Patch Tuesday release, of which six are rated as critical severity and six were previously reported as zero-days. Critical Microsoft Vulnerabilities Patched CVE-2021-42298 - Microsoft Defender Remo...

Qualys Response to CISA Alert: Binding Operational Directive 22-01

Start your VMDR 30-day, no-cost trial today Overview On November 3, 2021, the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency CISA released a Binding Operational Directive 22-01, "Reducing the Significant Risk of Known Exploited Vulnerabilities." This directive recommends urgent and...

CSPM Evolution – Start Secure, Stay Secure

For the last several years, the Verizon DBIR report has identified misconfigurations, errors that are unintended actions by an internal party, as one of the top reasons for data breaches. This trend is further reinforced by the results of a recent survey conducted by Cybersecurity Insiders. They...

Apache HTTP Server Path Traversal & Remote Code Execution (CVE-2021-41773 & CVE-2021-42013)

On October 4, 2021, Apache HTTP Server Project released Security advisory on a Path traversal and File disclosure vulnerability in Apache HTTP Server 2.4.49 and 2.4.50 tracked as CVE-2021-41773 and CVE-2021-42013. In the advisory, Apache also highlighted “the issue is known to be exploited in the...

Apache Tomcat HTTP Request Smuggling Vulnerability (CVE-2021-33037)

A vulnerability CVE-2021-33037 discovered this year in Apache Tomcat causes incorrect parsing of the HTTP transfer-encoding request header in some circumstances, leading to the possibility of HTTP Request Smuggling HRS when used with a reverse proxy. HTTP Request Smuggling HRS is a web applicatio...

Vulnerability On-Demand Search Reporting & Easy Download options

Vulnerability reporting is different from any other aspect of a Vulnerability Management Program. The methodologies of Discover, Assess, Report and Remediate are critical components that should be included in the respective sections of a Vulnerability Report. Qualys VMDR Vulnerability Management...

Apple fixes zero-day in iOS and iPadOS 15.0.2 emergency release: Detect and Prioritize Vulnerabilities using VMDR for Mobile Devices

Apple recently released iOS and iPadOS 15.0.2 as an emergency security update that addresses 1 critical zero-day vulnerabilities, which is exploited in wild. Qualys recommends that security teams should immediately update all devices running iOS and iPadOS to the latest version. "Apple is aware o...

Microsoft & Adobe Patch Tuesday (October 2021) – Microsoft 74 Vulnerabilities with 3 Critical, 4 Zero-Days. Adobe 10 Vulnerabilities

Microsoft Patch Tuesday – October 2021 Microsoft patched 74 vulnerabilities in their October 2021 Patch Tuesday release, of which three are rated as critical severity and four were previously reported as zero-days. Critical Microsoft Vulnerabilities Patched CVE-2021-40449 - Win32k Elevation of...

Tenacity 2.0 – Emulating Threat groups

Introduction The previous article: Tenacity – An Adversary Emulation Tool for Persistence, walked us through the working of Tenacity, techniques it supports, and how it can help organizations and individuals to validate the risk posture. As with the second installment of the series, this post wil...

From Technical Features to Customer Security Metrics

Qualys solutions are packed with great functionality to deliver operational efficiency to all our customers, but the value does not end with bits and bytes. Qualys customers can count on Technical Account Managers to maximize the effectiveness of their subscription, and this post tells a story...

Assess Your Risk From Ransomware Attacks, Powered by Qualys Research

Ransomware attacks are among the most significant cyber threats facing businesses today. Recent warnings about Conti ransomware, issued by a joint cybersecurity advisory from the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency CISA, FBI and National Security Agency, are a strong signal that...

The Rise of Ransomware

With most employees still working from remote locations, ransomware attacks have increased steadily since the early months of the Covid-19 pandemic. According to the FBI’s 2020 Internet Crime Report 2400+ ransomware-related incidents in 2020 resulted in a loss of about 29 million dollars. These...

QID Spotlight: Discover Azul Java Vulnerabilities

The Qualys vulnerability signatures team has released a new series of signatures detections for Azul Java, allowing security teams to identify Azul Java hosts and detect their vulnerabilities. Azul is a Java platform used for modern cloud enterprises. The platform is used for developing,...

NSO Pegasus iPhone Spyware Vulnerabilities Fixed by Apple – Detect & Prioritize Using VMDR for Mobile Devices

Apple recently released iOS and iPadOS 12.5.5, 15.0, which includes a security update that addresses almost 25 vulnerabilities, including several critical RCE and privilege escalation vulnerabilities. In 12.5.5, Apple fixed 3 critical zero-day vulnerabilities, which are used to deploy NSO Pegasus...

Prioritize Remediation with a Perceived-Risk Approach to Strengthen CyberSecurity Effectiveness

Minimizing Time To Remediate TTR is becoming one of the key metrics of security program effectiveness. This holistic measure represents many capabilities and is a good validation of your risk mitigation capacity because it captures how quickly you can respond to the most critical vulnerabilities...

Apache Struts 2 Double OGNL Evaluation Vulnerability (CVE-2020-17530)

A vulnerability CVE-2020-17530 discovered last year in the Object Graph Navigation Language OGNL evaluation function of Apache Struts versions 2.0.0 – 2.5.25 can be exploited by attackers to perform remote code execution. This RCE vulnerability doesn’t come packaged with Apache struts but is...

Improving Cybersecurity Practices by Managing the Asset Lifecycle

Securing enterprise environments continues to increase in importance. Attacks on infrastructure continue to increase and organizations need to focus more on prevention. While new vulnerabilities are continually being discovered, companies are also left vulnerable to attacks because their...

Detect & Prioritize NSO Pegasus iPhone Spyware Vulnerabilities Using VMDR for Mobile Devices

Apple recently released iOS and iPadOS 14.8 as a security update that addresses 2 critical zero-day vulnerabilities, which are used to deploy NSO Pegasus iPhone spyware. Qualys recommends that security teams should immediately update all devices running iOS and iPadOS to the latest version. "Appl...

Google Android September 2021 Security Patch Vulnerabilities: Discover and Take Remote Response Action Using VMDR for Mobile Devices

The recently released Android Security Bulletin for September 2021 addresses 40 vulnerabilities, out of which 7 are rated as critical vulnerabilities. The vulnerabilities affect open-source components such as the Android Framework, Android Media Framework, and Android System. The vulnerabilities...

Microsoft and Adobe Patch Tuesday (September 2021) – Microsoft 60 Vulnerabilities with 3 Critical, Adobe 61 Vulnerabilities

Microsoft Patch Tuesday – September 2021 Microsoft patched 60 vulnerabilities in their September 2021 Patch Tuesday release, and an additional 26 CVEs since September 1st. Among the 60 released in the September Patch Tuesday, 3 of them are rated as critical severity, one as moderate, and 56 as...