Old Hacks Die Hard: Ransomware, Social Engineering Top Verizon DBIR Threats – Again

Ransomware and social engineering continue to dominate challenges facing cybersecurity professionals, according to Verizon’s 15th annual Data Breach Investigations Report DBIR. In general, the results of DBIR merely confirm well-established trends, such as the growing threats of ransomware – up 1...

ChromeLoader Browser Hijacker Provides Gateway to Bigger Threats

ChromeLoader may seem on the surface like a run-of-the-mill browser hijacker that merely redirects victims to advertisement websites. However, its use of PowerShell could pose a greater risk by leading to further and advanced malicious activity, such as the propagation of ransomware or spyware or...

Unpatched DNS Bug Puts Millions of Routers, IoT Devices at Risk

An unpatched Domain Name System DNS bug in a popular standard C library can allow attackers to mount DNS poisoning attacks against millions of IoT devices and routers to potentially take control of them, researchers have found. Researchers at Nozomi Networks Labs discovered the flaw affecting the...

Real Big Phish: Mobile Phishing & Managing User Fallibility

According to a recent survey from Ivanti, nearly three-quarters 74 percent of IT professionals reported that their organizations have fallen victim to a phishing attack – and 40 percent of those happened in the last month alone. Increasingly, mobile phishing is the culprit. What’s more, nearly ha...

Adobe Cloud Abused to Steal Office 365, Gmail Credentials

Attackers are leveraging Adobe Creative Cloud to target Office 365 users with malicious links that appear to be coming legitimately from Cloud users but instead direct victims to a link that steals their credentials, researchers have discovered. Researchers from Avanan, a Check Point company, fir...

The Best Ransomware Response, According to the Data

Ransomware has become part of the cost of doing business, and driving down that cost can be the difference between recovery and catastrophe. A data analysis from Fox-IT, part of NCC Group, offers some best practices for how to minimize the fallout of a ransomware attack, after creating a dataset ...

Designing a Proactive Ransomware Playbook for Today’s Threat Landscape

By Paul Baird, Chief Technology Security Office, Qualys Ransomware attacks are among the most significant cyber-threats facing organizations today. According to research by Gartner, ransomware is the highest priority 78 percent and most important emerging risk to track. Yet, organizations are sti...

TA551 Shifts Tactics to Install Sliver Red-Teaming Tool

The criminal threat group known as TA551 has added the Sliver red-teaming tool to its bag of tracks – a move that may signal ramped up ransomware attacks ahead, researchers said. According to Proofpoint researchers, TA551 aka Shathak has been mounting cyberattacks that start with email thread...

How to Build an Incident-Response Plan, Before Security Disaster Strikes

In a startling discovery, a recent report found that 98 percent of companies have experienced at least one cloud data breach in the past 18 months, compared to 79 percent last year. The same report disclosed that nearly 60 percent of the 200 CISOs and security decision-makers surveyed considered...

FamousSparrow APT Spies on Hotels, Governments

A cyberespionage group dubbed “FamousSparrow” by researchers has taken flight, targeting hotels, governments and private organizations around the world with a custom backdoor called, appropriately, “SparrowDoor.” It’s one of the advanced persistent threats APTs that targeted the ProxyLogon...

Large-Scale Phishing-as-a-Service Operation Exposed

Microsoft uncovered a large-scale, well-organization and sophisticated phishing-as-a-service PhaaS operation. The turnkey platform allows users to customize campaigns and develop their own phishing ploys so they can then use the PhaaS platform to help with phishing kits, email templates and hosti...

Netgear SOHO Security Bug Allows RCE, Corporate Attacks

A high-severity security bug affecting several Netgear small office/home office SOHO routers could allow remote code execution RCE via a man-in-the-middle MiTM attack. The bug CVE-2021-40847 exists in a third-party component that Netgear includes in its firmware, called Circle – it handles the...

Top Strategies That Define the Success of a Modern Vulnerability Management Program

The CVE database reported 18,325 vulnerabilities in 2020. To add to this, more than 40% of the vulnerabilities do not even have a CVE identifier assigned, and open vulnerabilities on organizations’ infrastructure are the most widely exploited pain points for malicious attacks – including...

Poly Network Recoups $610M Stolen from DeFi Platform

A threat actor called “Mr. White Hat” has returned the $610 million they stole from the decentralized finance platform Poly Network. The breached company did everything from threaten to sic law enforcement on the attacker on up to its ultimate offer: the position of chief security officer in...

AdLoad Malware 2021 Samples Evade Apple XProtect

A swelling wave of AdLoad malware infections in macOS devices is cresting its way past Apple’s on-device malware scanner, researchers said. The campaign is using around 150 unique samples, some of which are signed by Apple’s notarization service. AdLoad is a well-known Apple threat that’s been...

‘DeadRinger’ Targeted Exchange Servers Long Before Discovery

Threat actors linked to China exploited the notorious Microsoft Exchange ProxyLogon vulnerabilities long before they were publicly disclosed, in attacks against telecommunications companies aimed at stealing sensitive customer data and maintaining network persistence, researchers have found...

BIOPASS RAT Uses Live Streaming Steal Victims’ Data

Online gambling companies in China are being targeted by a new remote access trojan RAT which, in addition to its predictable features — like file assessment and exfiltration — takes the novel approach of using live streaming to spy on the screens of its victims. The malware was identified by a...

Hacked Data for 69K LimeVPN Users Up for Sale on Dark Web

The VPN provider known as LimeVPN has been hit with a hack affecting 69,400 user records, according to researchers. A hacker claims to have stolen the company’s entire customer database before knocking its website offline Threatpost confirmed that as of press time, the website was down. The stole...

Application Layer is Still the Front Door for Data Breaches

By Terry Ray, SVP and Fellow, Imperva Each year, the number of data breaches grows by 30% while the number of records compromised increases by an average of 224%. 2021 is far from over, but we’re already on pace for another record-setting year. In fact, Imperva research finds that more records we...

Experian API Leaks Most Americans’ Credit Scores

A researcher is claiming that the credit scores of almost every American were exposed through an API tool used by the Experian credit bureau, that he said was left open on a lender site without even basic security protections. Experian, for its part, refuted concerns from the security community...

SaaS Attacks: Lessons from Real-Life Misconfiguration Exploits

It’s unfortunate but true: SaaS attacks continue to increase. You can’t get around it, COVID-19 accelerated the already exploding SaaS market and caused industries not planning on making a switch to embrace SaaS. With SaaS apps becoming the default system of record for organizations, it has left...

Teen Behind Twitter Bit-Con Breach Cuts Plea Deal

Thanks to a new plea deal with the Florida State Attorney’s Office, the 18-year-old behind last summer’s breach of Twitter’s high-profile accounts will not be charged as an adult, and instead will serve his sentence in juvenile detention. Graham Ivan Clark was arrested seven months ago, and has...

T-Mobile Faces Yet Another Data Breach

T-Mobile USA has reported a data breach – its fourth in three years. The wireless carrier disclosed the breach last week via its website, saying that it detected and shut down “malicious, unauthorized access to some information” related to T-Mobile accounts. Specifically, that data consisted of...

RubyGems Packages Laced with Bitcoin-Stealing Malware

RubyGems, an open-source package repository and manager for the Ruby web programming language, has taken two of its software packages offline after they were found to be laced with malware. RubyGems provides a standard format for distributing Ruby programs and libraries in the service of building...

Misery of Ransomware Hits Hospitals the Hardest

Despite hospitals being on the front lines during the pandemic, bad actors have continued to target them with ransomware. In addition to wreaking havoc on operational processes in medical facilities at the worst possible time, the attacks have evolved to threaten patient safety. In September,...

Cayman Islands Bank Records Exposed in Open Azure Blob

A Cayman Island investment firm has removed years of backups, which up until recently were easily available online thanks to a misconfigured Microsoft Azure blob. The blob’s single URL led to vast stores of files including personal banking information, passport data and even online banking PINs —...

Electronic Medical Records Cracked Open by Unpatched OpenClinic Bugs

Four vulnerabilities have been discovered in the OpenClinic application for sharing electronic medical records. The most concerning of them would allow a remote, unauthenticated attacker to read patients’ personal health information PHI from the application. OpenClinic is an open-source health...

Robot Vacuums Suck Up Sensitive Audio in ‘LidarPhone’ Hack

Researchers have uncovered a new attack that lets bad actors snoop in on homeowners’ private conversations – through their robot vacuums. The vacuums, which utilize smart sensors in order to autonomously operate, have gained traction over the past few years. The attack, called “LidarPhone” by...

Zoom Snooping: How Body Language Can Spill Your Password

You’ve heard of Zoom Bombing, but have you heard of Zoom Snooping? Researchers contend they can extract keystroke data from participants in a video call simply by tracking shoulder movements. A recently published study warns malicious actors might use the technique to decipher personal passwords...

How the Pandemic is Reshaping the Bug Bounty Landscape

The pandemic has overhauled the bug-bounty landscape, both for companies looking to adopt such programs and the bounty hunters themselves. Casey Ellis, founder and CTO of Bugcrowd, said that COVID-19’s far-reaching implications — including increasing the acceptance of remote work, pushing more...

Overlay Malware Targets Windows Users with a DLL Hijack Twist

Brazilians are being warned of a new overlay malware targeting Windows users in order to siphon victims’ financial data and drain their bank accounts. Researchers say what the malware, dubbed Vizom, lacks in sophistication it makes up for in its creative abuse of the Windows ecosystem. Trusteer, ...

Office 365: A Favorite for Cyberattack Persistence

Threat actors are consistently leveraging legitimate services and tools from within Microsoft Office 365 to pilfer sensitive data and launch phishing, ransomware, and other attacks across corporate networks from a persistent position inside the cloud-based suite, new research has found. Office 36...

BEC Wire Transfers Average $80K Per Attack

The average wire-transfer loss from business email compromise BEC attacks is significantly on the rise: In the second quarter of 2020 the average was $80,183, up from $54,000 in the first quarter. That’s according to the recently released Anti-Phishing Working Group APWG’s Phishing Activity Trend...

Smartwatch Hack Could Trick Dementia Patients into Overdosing

Researchers are warning vulnerabilities in a smartwatch application for dementia patients could allow an attacker to convince patients to overdose. The vulnerabilities stem from the SETracker application, which is developed by Chinese developer 3G Electronics based out of Shenzhen City. The app,...

Coronavirus-Themed Cyberattacks Drop — Microsoft

A report from the Microsoft Threat Protection Intelligence Team found that Covid-19-themed cyberattacks peaked in early March and are now trending significantly down. The report also noted that those attacks have been a drop in the bucket compared to overall threats observed over the last four...

‘Black Rose Lucy’ is Back, Now Pushing Ransomware

Cybercriminals behind the Android-based dropper malware Black Rose Lucy have shifted attacks from info-stealing to ransomware – with a sextortion twist. The malware family, operated by the Lucy Gang, encrypts targeted Android devices and delivers a spoofed FBI message. The ransom note claims the...

A COVID-19 Cybersecurity Poll: Securing a Remote Workforce

As the coronavirus pandemic continues to sweep the globe, and cities and states impose social-distancing measures, businesses are sending their users home to work. And this massive, unprecedented shift to distance working brings with it a whole new set of cybersecurity challenges. For instance, a...

ACLU Sues Over U.S. Airport Facial-Recognition Technology

The American Civil Liberties Union ACLU has filed suit the Department of Homeland Security DHS over its use of facial recognition technology in airports, decrying the government’s “extraordinarily dangerous path” to normalize facial surveillance as well as its secrecy in making specific details o...

Ring Mandates 2FA After Rash of Hacks

Connected doorbell-maker Ring is now requiring two-factor authentication 2FA for all users when they sign into their accounts. The new requirement comes after Ring faced a backlash in December following a rash of disturbing hacks and security issues tied to the smart doorbell. While Amazon-owned...

U.S. Finance Sector Hit with Targeted Backdoor Campaign

The financial services sector in the U.S. found itself under a barrage of cyberattacks last month, all bent on delivering a powerful backdoor called Minebridge. The attack chain employed a known method called “VBA Stomping” to avoid detection. According to researchers at FireEye, the campaigns,...

Gamaredon APT Improves Toolset to Target Ukraine Government, Military

The Gamaredon advanced persistent threat APT group has been supercharging its operations lately, improving its toolset and ramping up attacks on Ukrainian national security targets. Vitali Kremez, head of SentinelLabs, said in research released on Wednesday that he has been tracking an uptick in...

Cynet Empowers IT Resellers and Service Providers to Become Fully Qualified MSSPs

As cyber incidents increase in scope and impact, more and more organizations come to realize that outsourcing their defenses is the best practice—significantly increasing the Managed Security Service Provider MSSP market opportunities. Until recently, IT integrators, VARs, and MSPs haven’t...

A Practical Guide to Zero-Trust Security

Employees are demanding that employers enable flexible workstyles. Apps are moving to the cloud. A company’s device and application mix are increasingly heterogeneous. All of these factors are breaking down the enterprise security perimeter, rendering traditional security approaches obsolete, and...

U.S. Universities Get Failing Grades for DMARC Adoption

The U.S. higher education system is lagging when it comes to implementing email security – even though the segment remains a top target for phishing and spam campaigns. According to an analysis from Red Sift shared with Threatpost, only 3 percent of the top 200 schools in the 2020 WSJ/THE College...

ThreatList: Most Retail Hardware Bug Bounty Flaws Are Critical

Almost all of hardware vulnerabilities – 90 percent – that were submitted to retail bug bounty programs so far this year were categorized as critical, showing that Point of Sale systems and other retail hardware assets remain a serious security issue. That’s due to the fact that retail hardware...

CISO and Security Vendor Relationships are Good for a Laugh in New Comic Videos

It’s not easy being a CISO. One could say “intense” might be the perfect descriptor for the CISO work environment. Tasked with the unenviable job of keeping the organization safe, carrying the burden of failed protection and taking hits for successful breaches, CISOs can never rest. They are...

For $8.6M, Cisco Settles Suit Over Bug-Riddled Video Surveillance Software

Cisco Systems has agreed to pay $8.6 million to settle a lawsuit that alleged it sold video security software with known security vulnerabilities to U.S. federal and state governments. The litigation, originally brought in 2011, was filed under the False Claims Act, claiming that the software...

Rules-Based Policy Approaches Need to Go

Enterprises are making tremendous investments in their digital transformations, and no wonder: Increasingly, those who can more rapidly part from old, manual and antiquated ways of managing technology and shift to new ways of thinking will come out on top. That’s especially true when it comes to...

Ad Server Patched to Stop Possible Malware Distribution

UPDATE The open-source advertising platform Revive Adserver is urging customers to patch two vulnerabilities, one of which is critical and may have been exploited to allow hackers to deliver malware to third-party websites. Revive Adserver, formerly known as OpenX Source, is a free, open-source a...

Critical, Unpatched Cisco Flaw Leaves Small Business Networks Wide Open

A critical and unpatched vulnerability in the widely deployed Cisco Small Business Switch software leaves the door open to remote, unauthenticated attackers gaining full administrative control over the device – and therefore the network. Cisco Small Business Switches were developed for small offi...