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Opinion, SME Cybersecurity

Top 5 Cyber Threats Every SME Should Be Aware Of

In today’s fast-paced digital age, businesses are more connected than ever before. While this connectivity has created countless growth opportunities, it has also introduced new vulnerabilities. Cyber threats have evolved in sophistication, making them a critical concern for businesses of all sizes.

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are particularly attractive targets for cybercriminals. Unlike larger corporations, which often have dedicated security teams and robust defences in place, SMEs frequently lack the resources to protect themselves adequately. This perception of vulnerability makes them an enticing target for attackers.

According to the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB), cybercrime costs the UK economy around £4.5 billion annually, with the average cost of an attack on a small business estimated to be around £1,300 per victim. For an SME, a cyberattack can lead to not only significant financial losses but also loss of customer trust, reputational damage, and even the risk of going out of business.

As a business owner, it’s essential to be aware of the common types of cyber threats and how to protect your business. In this blog, we’ll explore the top five cyber threats facing SMEs, share real-world examples of businesses that have been impacted, and provide actionable tips on how to identify and prevent these attacks.

1. Phishing Attacks

What is Phishing?

Phishing is a form of social engineering that involves cybercriminals pretending to be trusted entities to trick individuals into revealing sensitive information such as passwords, bank details, or personal data. These attacks are most commonly conducted via email but can also occur through text messages (smishing) or phone calls (vishing).  When such attacks are targeted at a specific person within a company, often someone in a senior or sensitive role, they are referred to as spear phishing.

Phishing emails often contain malicious links or attachments. When an unsuspecting employee clicks on a link or downloads an attachment, they might inadvertently provide access to sensitive company data or install malware on their device.

Real-Life Example: The WADA Attack

In 2016, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) became the target of a sophisticated phishing attack. Hackers posed as WADA officials and tricked employees into revealing login credentials. These credentials were then used to access confidential athlete information, which was subsequently leaked. The damage caused by this breach not only harmed WADA’s reputation but also disrupted trust in global anti-doping efforts.

How to Identify Phishing:

  • Suspicious Email Addresses: Phishing emails may appear to come from legitimate sources, but a close inspection of the sender’s email address often reveals small inconsistencies, such as an extra character or unusual domain name.
  • Urgency and Fear Tactics: Many phishing emails create a sense of urgency or fear. For example, they may claim your account will be suspended unless you take immediate action.
  • Unexpected Attachments or Links: Phishing emails may ask recipients to open attachments or click on links. Always hover over links to verify their destination before clicking.

How to Protect Your SME:

  • Implement Two-Factor Authentication (2FA): 2FA adds an extra layer of security by requiring users to provide two forms of identification before accessing accounts. This reduces the risk of compromised passwords.
  • Ongoing Employee Training: Regularly educate your employees about the risks of phishing. Make sure they know how to identify suspicious emails and what to do if they receive one.
  • Advanced Email Security: Use email filtering tools that block or flag suspicious messages before they reach your employees’ inboxes.

2. Ransomware

What is Ransomware?

Ransomware is a type of malicious software that locks or encrypts a victim’s data, rendering it inaccessible until a ransom is paid. Cybercriminals typically demand payment in cryptocurrencies, which are harder to trace, and often provide a tight deadline for payment to pressure victims.

For SMEs, ransomware can be devastating. In addition to the ransom itself, businesses can face operational downtime, loss of sensitive data, and a hit to their reputation. Moreover, there is no guarantee that paying the ransom will lead to the recovery of your data.

In recent years, the majority of ransomware threat actors have moved to a double extortion method, whereby not only do they encrypt your data, but they also threaten to release it to the public through their victim-shaming blogs.  We are now also beginning to see instances where threat actors rely solely on this threat of data publication, rather than data encryption.

Real-Life Example: The WannaCry Attack

In 2017, the WannaCry ransomware attack swept across the globe, affecting more than 200,000 computers in over 150 countries. One of the most notable victims was the NHS in the UK, which faced widespread disruption as critical medical systems became inoperable. WannaCry exploited a vulnerability in older versions of Microsoft Windows, and while a patch had been released, many organisations had not yet applied it.

The total financial impact of WannaCry was estimated to be in the billions, with businesses around the world incurring significant downtime and recovery costs.

How to Identify a Ransomware Attack:

  • Files Become Inaccessible: One of the most obvious signs of a ransomware attack is that you are suddenly unable to access your files or data.
  • Ransom Note: Ransomware attacks often display a message explaining that your files have been encrypted and demanding payment for their release.
  • Unusual Network Activity: You may notice strange spikes in network traffic as ransomware spreads through your system, attempting to encrypt all connected devices.

How to Protect Your SME:

  • Backup Critical Data: Regularly back up your data and ensure that backups are stored offline or in a secure cloud service. This way, if a ransomware attack occurs, you can restore your data without paying the ransom.
  • Patch and Update Software: Ensure all systems and software are up-to-date. Many ransomware attacks exploit known vulnerabilities that can be patched through regular updates.
  • Endpoint Security Solutions: Install advanced antivirus and anti-malware software that can detect and block ransomware before it causes damage.

3. Malware

What is Malware?

Malware is an umbrella term used to describe any malicious software designed to disrupt, damage, or gain unauthorised access to a computer system. Types of malware include viruses, worms, trojans, spyware, and adware.

Once malware infiltrates a system, it can steal data, monitor user activity, install additional harmful software, or even render systems inoperable. For SMEs, a malware attack can result in lost productivity, compromised customer data, and long-term damage to your brand’s reputation.

Real-Life Example: The NotPetya Attack

NotPetya was initially thought to be ransomware, but its true intent was far more destructive. In June 2017, the malware spread across organisations globally, severely impacting businesses like shipping giant Maersk, which faced significant operational downtime and financial losses as its systems were brought to a halt. The attack encrypted critical files and disrupted supply chains, costing Maersk an estimated £300 million.

NotPetya also highlights another significant cyber-security concern: supply-chain attacks.  The malware had originated from the Ukrainian company Intellect Service, which supplied tax software.  Threat actors breached the company and configured their software updater to download the malware to anyone using the software, which occurred when the latest software update was pushed.  This highlights the need to properly consider not only your risk but third-party risk as well.

How to Identify Malware:

  • Sluggish Performance: If your computers or network are unusually slow, this could be a sign that malware is consuming system resources.
  • Pop-Up Ads: Malware infections are often accompanied by a barrage of unwanted pop-up ads, even when you’re not browsing the web.
  • System Crashes: Frequent crashes or the appearance of the “blue screen of death” could indicate that your system has been compromised.

How to Protect Your SME:

  • Install and Update Antivirus Software: Ensure that all company devices are equipped with up-to-date antivirus software. Schedule regular scans to identify and remove malware.
  • Limit Software Downloads: Only allow trusted employees to install or download software to prevent the introduction of malware from suspicious sources.
  • Monitor Network Traffic: Keep an eye on your network for unusual spikes in data usage, which could be a sign of malware communicating with external servers.

4. Insider Threats

What are Insider Threats?

Insider threats come from within your organisation and are caused by employees, contractors, or anyone with legitimate access to your systems. These individuals can either intentionally or unintentionally compromise your data and security. Insider threats can be difficult to detect because they exploit trusted access.

Real-Life Example: Tesla’s Insider Sabotage

In 2018, Tesla faced an insider threat when a disgruntled employee deliberately sabotaged the company’s systems. The employee altered the company’s manufacturing operating system and leaked confidential data to third parties. Tesla’s CEO, Elon Musk, publicly confirmed the damage caused by the incident, which affected the company’s operations and intellectual property.

How to Identify Insider Threats:

  • Unusual Access Patterns: If an employee is accessing files or systems they don’t usually use, this could be a sign of an insider threat.
  • Data Downloads: Sudden spikes in data downloads, especially involving sensitive information, can indicate malicious activity.
  • Employee Behaviour: Employees exhibiting signs of dissatisfaction or frustration could potentially become insider threats.

How to Protect Your SME:

  • Role-Based Access Control (RBAC): Limit access to data based on an employee’s role and responsibilities. Employees should only have access to the information necessary for their job.
  • Regular Audits: Conduct routine audits of system access and file downloads. This can help identify unusual patterns of behaviour that may indicate an insider threat.
  • Encourage Employee Reporting: Create a culture where employees feel comfortable reporting suspicious behaviour, without fear of retribution.

5. Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) Attacks

What is a DDoS Attack?

A Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attack occurs when multiple compromised systems flood a target, such as a website or online service, with an overwhelming amount of traffic. The sheer volume of requests causes the target to become slow, unresponsive, or even crash altogether.

While DDoS attacks don’t typically result in data theft, they can cause significant operational disruptions. For SMEs that rely on online services, even a temporary outage can lead to lost revenue, frustrated customers, and long-term reputational damage.

Real-Life Example: The Dyn DNS Attack

In 2016, Dyn, a major provider of DNS services, was hit by a massive DDoS attack that affected major websites such as Twitter, Spotify, and Netflix. The attack, which was conducted using a botnet made up of Internet of Things (IoT) devices, disrupted services for several hours, highlighting the vulnerability of DNS infrastructure and the far-reaching impact of DDoS attacks.

How to Identify a DDoS Attack:

  • Slow or Unresponsive Website: If your website becomes unusually slow or users report difficulty accessing it, this could be the result of a DDoS attack.
  • Spike in Traffic: A sudden and unexpected increase in traffic, especially if it comes from unknown or foreign sources, is a common indicator of a DDoS attack.
  • Service Outages: Repeated service interruptions or crashes can point to a sustained DDoS assault.

How to Protect Your SME:

  • Use a CDN: Content Delivery Networks (CDNs) distribute traffic across multiple servers, reducing the impact of DDoS attacks by ensuring that no single server is overwhelmed.
  • Invest in DDoS Mitigation Services: There are dedicated DDoS mitigation tools and services that can detect abnormal traffic patterns and block malicious requests before they reach your network.
  • Firewalls and Load Balancers: Use Web Application Firewalls (WAFs) and load balancers to filter incoming traffic, block malicious IP addresses, and distribute the load more effectively across servers.

Conclusion: Building a Resilient Cybersecurity Strategy

The risks of cyberattacks are real, and for SMEs, the consequences can be especially severe. By understanding the top cyber threats—phishing, ransomware, malware, insider threats, and DDoS attacks—business owners can take proactive steps to secure their operations.

Cybersecurity is not just a technical issue but a fundamental part of business resilience. Implementing strong security measures, providing ongoing employee training, and fostering a culture of cybersecurity awareness will go a long way in reducing the risk of cyberattacks.

Ultimately, it’s not about if your business will be targeted but when. Taking the time to assess your vulnerabilities and enhance your security protocols now will save you time, money, and reputation in the long run. The best time to protect your business is today.

Read our first post in this series here > What every SME needs to know.

Need Help?

If you don’t know about a threat, you cannot act. SOS Intelligence can be your eyes and ears on the dark web, providing digital risk monitoring to make sure you have the right intelligence, when you need it, to take action to protect your business. Click here to book a demo.

Photos by FlyD , Stephen Phillips – Hostreviews.co.uk, Michael Geiger on Unsplash.

"Voldemort
SOS Intelligence Weekly News Round Up

Weekly News Roundup

02 – 08 September 2024

CVE Discussion

Over the past week, we’ve monitored our vast collection of new data to identify discussions of CVEs. 

Ransomware Top 5s

News Roundup

New Malware Exploits Google Sheets for Data Theft and Control

In August 2024, cybersecurity researchers at Proofpoint discovered a novel malware campaign, nicknamed “Voldemort,” that exploits Google Sheets for storing and transmitting stolen data. This backdoor malware takes advantage of Google Sheets’ trusted status to mask its malicious activities, including issuing commands and exfiltrating data. The threat actor also used various common techniques, such as cobalt strike payloads and Windows LNK files, to deploy additional malicious scripts, particularly targeting systems using the C programming language.

The attack began intensifying on 5 August 2024, affecting over 70 organisations with more than 20,000 malicious messages. Users were redirected to malicious URLs and download pages, where files disguised as PDFs would activate the malware. Once deployed, Voldemort would gather system information and download additional malware from Google Sheets, further spreading within the compromised network. The malware’s sophisticated use of Google’s APIs allowed it to covertly interact with infected machines, creating unique pages within Google Sheets for each victim, which stored stolen data.

Researchers noted that while the malware’s impact was significant, many of the infections occurred within sandbox environments or were targeted at security researchers. Despite this, the actor behind Voldemort remains unidentified, though they are suspected to be an Advanced Persistent Threat (APT) group focused on intelligence gathering. The use of Google Sheets for command and control highlights the increasing complexity of cyberattacks, as cybercriminals find new ways to exploit trusted platforms to bypass detection.

Hacktivist Group Head Mare Exploits WinRAR Vulnerability in Targeted Cyber Attacks

The hacktivist group “Head Mare” has been exploiting a vulnerability in WinRAR, a popular file compression utility, to launch attacks on both Windows and Linux systems. Known as CVE-2023-38831, this flaw allows the group to execute arbitrary code through malicious archive files, enabling them to infiltrate systems and encrypt files. Active since the Russo-Ukrainian conflict, Head Mare primarily targets organizations in Russia and Belarus, aiming to cause significant disruption through sophisticated malware and ransomware attacks.

Head Mare’s toolkit includes a mix of widely available software and custom-developed malware, such as LockBit and Babuk ransomware for encryption, and PhantomDL and PhantomCore for system access and exploitation. Their methods involve phishing campaigns that distribute malicious archives, exploiting the WinRAR vulnerability to gain initial access. Once inside, the group maintains persistence by modifying the Windows registry and creating scheduled tasks. They also demand ransoms for data decryption, adding a financial motive to their politically driven attacks.

The group’s infrastructure is highly advanced, using VPS servers and tools like ngrok for network pivoting and command-and-control (C2) communication. Head Mare employs various evasion techniques, including obfuscating their malware and disguising it as legitimate software. Their activities, which exploit the CVE-2023-38831 vulnerability, emphasise the growing complexity of cyber threats linked to geopolitical conflicts. Organisations in affected regions are urged to patch vulnerabilities and strengthen defences against phishing attacks to mitigate these risks.

Electric Vehicle Owners Targeted by Quishing Attacks via Charging Stations

Electric vehicle (EV) owners are being warned about the rise of “quishing” attacks at charging stations. These attacks involve cybercriminals using fraudulent QR codes to deceive drivers into visiting malicious websites or providing sensitive information. As QR codes become increasingly common for payment and activation at public charging stations, scammers exploit this trust by placing fake QR code stickers over legitimate ones. When unsuspecting users scan these codes, they are redirected to fake payment portals, where their personal data or payment details may be stolen.

The consequences of these attacks can be severe, including financial losses and the installation of malware on users’ devices. Cybersecurity experts warn that as vehicles become more connected, quishing attacks may also evolve to target cars themselves. To protect against these scams, EV owners are advised to inspect charging stations for tampering, use official charging apps, avoid entering payment information on unfamiliar websites, and keep their devices up to date with the latest security software.

Charging station operators are responding to the threat by enhancing security measures, such as using tamper-evident QR codes and increasing inspections. Experts stress the importance of staying informed about these emerging threats, as the expanding EV market presents new opportunities for cybercriminals. With awareness and caution, drivers can enjoy the benefits of electric mobility while protecting themselves from evolving scams like quishing.

Cisco Meraki Systems Manager for Windows Vulnerability Allows Privilege Escalation

Cisco has issued a critical security advisory regarding a vulnerability in the Cisco Meraki Systems Manager (SM) Agent for Windows, identified as CVE-2024-20430. This flaw allows authenticated local attackers to execute arbitrary code with elevated privileges, potentially gaining SYSTEM-level access. With a CVSS score of 7.3, this high-severity vulnerability presents a significant risk to affected systems and requires immediate action. The vulnerability stems from improper handling of directory search paths at runtime, enabling attackers to exploit the system by placing malicious configuration and DLL files.

There are no workarounds for this vulnerability, but Cisco has released software updates that address the issue. Users are strongly advised to upgrade to Cisco Meraki SM Agent for Windows Release 4.2.0 or later. The Cisco Meraki SM Agent for Mac is not affected. Customers can download the updates through the Meraki Dashboard, provided they have a valid license. Systems configured to automatically update will receive the patch to mitigate the risk.

While there have been no reported public exploitations of the vulnerability, Cisco urges users to stay vigilant by consulting the Cisco Security Advisories page for updates and ensuring that their systems are running the latest software versions. Cisco’s proactive approach in addressing this issue underscores the importance of maintaining strong security practices to safeguard against emerging cyber threats.

"SOS
CVE Top 10

The SOS Intelligence CVE Chatter Weekly Top Ten – 09 September 2024

 

This weekly blog post is from via our unique intelligence collection pipelines. We are your eyes and ears online, including the Dark Web.

There are thousands of vulnerability discussions each week. SOS Intelligence gathers a list of the most discussed Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVE) online for the previous week.

We make every effort to ensure the accuracy of the data presented. As this is an automated process some errors may creep in.

If you are feeling generous please do make us aware of anything you spot, feel free to follow us on Twitter @sosintel and DM us. Thank you!

 


 

1.  CVE-2023-4357

Insufficient validation of untrusted input in XML in Google Chrome prior to 116.0.5845.96 allowed a remote attacker to bypass file access restrictions via a crafted HTML page. (Chromium security severity: Medium)

https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-4357

 


 

2. CVE-2018-17144

Bitcoin Core 0.14.x before 0.14.3, 0.15.x before 0.15.2, and 0.16.x before 0.16.3 and Bitcoin Knots 0.14.x through 0.16.x before 0.16.3 allow a remote denial of service (application crash) exploitable by miners via duplicate input. An attacker can make bitcoind or Bitcoin-Qt crash.

https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2018-17144

 


 

3. CVE-2022-22965

A Spring MVC or Spring WebFlux application running on JDK 9+ may be vulnerable to remote code execution (RCE) via data binding. The specific exploit requires the application to run on Tomcat as a WAR deployment. If the application is deployed as a Spring Boot executable jar, i.e. the default, it is not vulnerable to the exploit. However, the nature of the vulnerability is more general, and there may be other ways to exploit it.

https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2022-22965

 


 

4. CVE-2024-21060

Vulnerability in the MySQL Server product of Oracle MySQL (component: Server: Data Dictionary). Supported versions that are affected are 8.0.36 and prior and 8.3.0 and prior. Easily exploitable vulnerability allows high privileged attacker with network access via multiple protocols to compromise MySQL Server. Successful attacks of this vulnerability can result in unauthorized ability to cause a hang or frequently repeatable crash (complete DOS) of MySQL Server. CVSS 3.1 Base Score 4.9 (Availability impacts). CVSS Vector: (CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H).

https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2024-21060

 


 

5. CVE-2024-7965

Inappropriate implementation in V8 in Google Chrome prior to 128.0.6613.84 allowed a remote attacker to potentially exploit heap corruption via a crafted HTML page. (Chromium security severity: High)

https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2024-7965

 


 

6. CVE-2021-44228

Apache Log4j2 2.0-beta9 through 2.15.0 (excluding security releases 2.12.2, 2.12.3, and 2.3.1) JNDI features used in configuration, log messages, and parameters do not protect against attacker controlled LDAP and other JNDI related endpoints. An attacker who can control log messages or log message parameters can execute arbitrary code loaded from LDAP servers when message lookup substitution is enabled. From log4j 2.15.0, this behavior has been disabled by default. From version 2.16.0 (along with 2.12.2, 2.12.3, and 2.3.1), this functionality has been completely removed. Note that this vulnerability is specific to log4j-core and does not affect log4net, log4cxx, or other Apache Logging Services projects.

https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-44228

 


 

7. CVE-2021-42278

Active Directory Domain Services Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability

https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-42278

 


 

8. CVE-2022-22947

In spring cloud gateway versions prior to 3.1.1+ and 3.0.7+ , applications are vulnerable to a code injection attack when the Gateway Actuator endpoint is enabled, exposed and unsecured. A remote attacker could make a maliciously crafted request that could allow arbitrary remote execution on the remote host.

https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2022-22947

 


 

9. CVE-2021-31805

The fix issued for CVE-2020-17530 was incomplete. So from Apache Struts 2.0.0 to 2.5.29, still some of the tag’s attributes could perform a double evaluation if a developer applied forced OGNL evaluation by using the %{…} syntax. Using forced OGNL evaluation on untrusted user input can lead to a Remote Code Execution and security degradation.

https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-31805

 


 

10. CVE-2024-20017

In wlan service, there is a possible out of bounds write due to improper input validation. This could lead to remote code execution with no additional execution privileges needed. User interaction is not needed for exploitation Patch ID: WCNCR00350938; Issue ID: MSV-1132.

https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2024-20017

 


"Inside
Opinion, SME Cybersecurity, Tips

Inside a Cyber Attack – Key Phases and Business Impact

The Far-Reaching Impact of Cyber Attacks and what are the phases?

In an era where digital connectivity underpins nearly every aspect of our personal and professional lives, the threat of cyber attacks is not going away. As you can probably imagine, it’s getting worse.

From personal data breaches to corporate espionage and national security threats, cyber attacks can have profound and far-reaching consequences. In this blog post, we’ll explore the various impacts of cyber attacks, including economic damage, operational disruption, reputational harm, and personal consequences. We will also outline the main phases of an attack.

One of the areas we try and focus on is providing as much education as possible for businesses and organisations. Here is an infographic we have recently developed which outlines the main phases inside a cyber attack.

You will see that the phases are distinct and each one has certain things which happen which then leads to the next phase. The critical part to understand is that if you have insight into a leak of credentials or a discussion of a vulnerability, you can take action and stop this chain of events.

You can download the PDF version here. (Opens in a new tab for you).

The key phases flow from one to another, often with alarming speed. If you don’t know what has happened or indeed, happening, you cannot act…

This is where SOS Intelligence comes in to give you the insight and information you need for your business or organisation.

So what is the business impact from a cyber attack?


Economic Damage: The Price of Vulnerability

One of the most immediate and tangible impacts of a cyber attack is its financial cost. Businesses and organisations may face:

  • Direct Financial Losses: This includes the immediate costs of response and remediation, such as hiring cybersecurity experts, paying for system repairs, and dealing with potential legal fees. Financial losses can soar into the millions of pounds.
  • Ransom Payments: In ransomware attacks, cybercriminals encrypt data and demand payment for its release. These payments can be substantial, and even if the ransom is paid, there’s no guarantee that the data will be recovered or that the organization won’t be targeted again.
  • Insurance Costs: Many organisations turn to cyber insurance to mitigate potential losses, but premiums can rise significantly after an attack, adding to the long-term financial burden.

Operational Disruption: Halting Business As Usual

Cyber attacks can cripple a businesses’ ability to operate effectively. The impact on operations can be severe:

  • Downtime: System outages or disruptions can halt business operations, affecting productivity and revenue. For some organisations, it can be critical infrastructure which is disrupted. For the recent NHS attacks in the UK, operations and appointments as well as medical testing were severely disrupted.
  • Data Loss: Losing access to critical data can impede decision-making processes, delay projects, and affect customer service. Restoring lost data can be time-consuming and costly.
  • Supply Chain Disruptions: Cyber attacks can ripple through supply chains, causing delays and impacting partners and customers. The 2020 SolarWinds attack, which compromised numerous organizations through a single software provider, is a prime example of how interconnected systems can be affected. SOS Intelligence can help you monitor your third parties as well as your own domains and keywords.

Reputational Harm: Eroding Trust

The damage to an organisation’s reputation can be long-lasting and challenging to repair:

  • Customer Trust: Data breaches that expose personal information can erode customer trust. Customers expect companies, large and small, to safeguard their data, and a breach can lead to loss of business and diminished customer loyalty. This would be especially so in the legal sector which is seeing a rise in cyber threats.
  • Public Perception: How an organisation responds to an attack can influence public perception. A poorly managed response can exacerbate reputational damage, while transparent and effective communication can help rebuild trust. Ideally, you don’t want to be ion this position in the first place!
  • Competitive Disadvantage: Competitors may capitalise on an organisation’s misfortune, attracting clients who are concerned about security. Additionally, the affected business may face increased scrutiny from regulators and stakeholders.

Personal Consequences: The Human Element

The impact of cyber attacks extends beyond businesses and can significantly affect individuals as well:

  • Identity Theft: Personal data breaches can lead to identity theft, where sensitive information is used fraudulently, potentially causing long-term financial and emotional distress for victims.
  • Privacy Invasion: Cyber attacks that expose private communications or personal data can lead to privacy violations, harassment, and psychological distress.
  • Loss of Confidence: Individuals who fall victim to cyber attacks may experience a loss of confidence in digital systems, leading to increased anxiety and reluctance to use online services.

The Path Forward: Enhancing Cyber Resilience

In light of these impacts, it’s crucial for businesses, organisations and individuals to improve their cyber defences AND adopt best practices to mitigate risks:

  • Invest in Cybersecurity: Regularly update and upgrade cybersecurity measures, including firewalls, anti-virus software, and encryption. If you have not seen what SOS Intelligence can do for you, please get in touch, we would be delighted to show you.
  • Educate and Train: Ensure that employees and individuals are aware of potential threats and know how to recognise phishing attempts and other cyber risks.
  • Develop Response Plans: Have a robust incident response plan in place to quickly address and mitigate the effects of a cyber attack.
  • Regular Backups: Maintain regular backups of critical data to ensure recovery in the event of data loss.

Conclusion

Cyber attacks are a pervasive and evolving threat with significant consequences. The economic impact, operational disruption, reputational damage, and personal consequences underscore the importance of proactive measures to enhance your cyber resilience.

EVERY business and organisation is at risk, in any country and in any vertical. It is not just large organisations… SMEs are just as much at risk, and often at more risk as they don’t have large teams and systems in place.

If you’d like to book a demo of what SOS Intelligence can do for you, click here now.

Read the next blog post in our SME Cyberecurity series.

"SOS
CVE Top 10

The SOS Intelligence CVE Chatter Weekly Top Ten – 02 September 2024

 

This weekly blog post is from via our unique intelligence collection pipelines. We are your eyes and ears online, including the Dark Web.

There are thousands of vulnerability discussions each week. SOS Intelligence gathers a list of the most discussed Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVE) online for the previous week.

We make every effort to ensure the accuracy of the data presented. As this is an automated process some errors may creep in.

If you are feeling generous please do make us aware of anything you spot, feel free to follow us on Twitter @sosintel and DM us. Thank you!

 


 

1.  CVE-2024-38112

Windows MSHTML Platform Spoofing Vulnerability

https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2024-38112

 


 

2. CVE-2024-38021

Microsoft Outlook Remote Code Execution Vulnerability

https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2024-38021

 


 

3. CVE-2024-38074

Windows Remote Desktop Licensing Service Remote Code Execution Vulnerability

https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2024-38074

 


 

4. CVE-2024-38052

Kernel Streaming WOW Thunk Service Driver Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability

https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2024-38052

 


 

5. CVE-2024-38140

Windows Reliable Multicast Transport Driver (RMCAST) Remote Code Execution Vulnerability

https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2024-38140

 


 

6. CVE-2024-38199

Windows Line Printer Daemon (LPD) Service Remote Code Execution Vulnerability

https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2024-38199

 


 

7. CVE-2024-38080

Windows Hyper-V Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability

https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2024-38080

 


 

8. CVE-2024-38125

Kernel Streaming WOW Thunk Service Driver Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability

https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2024-38125

 


 

9. CVE-2024-38141

Windows Ancillary Function Driver for WinSock Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability

https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2024-38141

 


 

10. CVE-2024-38147

Microsoft DWM Core Library Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability

https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2024-38147

 


"SOS
SOS Intelligence Weekly News Round Up

Weekly News Round Up

19 – 25 August 2024

CVE Discussion

Over the past week, we’ve monitored our vast collection of new data to identify discussions of CVEs. 

Ransomware Top 5s

News Roundup

Emergence of New Stealer Malware: QWERTY & Styx

A new strain of malware, named “QWERTY Info Stealer,” has been identified as a significant threat to Windows systems, utilising advanced anti-debugging techniques and data exfiltration capabilities. Hosted on the domain mailservicess[.]com, the malware is designed to evade detection, making it particularly dangerous for both individuals and organisations. Discovered on a Linux-based server in Frankfurt, Germany, the malware is distributed via the URL hxxps://mailservicess[.]com/res/data/i.exe.

QWERTY Info Stealer employs multiple anti-debugging strategies, such as using Windows API functions like IsProcessorFeaturePresent() and IsDebuggerPresent(), and the lesser-known __CheckForDebuggerJustMyCode function. These techniques enable the malware to terminate if it detects a debugging environment, complicating efforts by security researchers to analyse its behaviour. After bypassing these checks, the malware begins collecting data, including system information and browser data, which it stores in specific directories on the infected system. It then communicates with Command and Control (C2) servers, downloading additional payloads and exfiltrating data using HTTP POST requests, underlining its sophistication and the ongoing threat it poses to cybersecurity.

Cybersecurity researchers at Check Point have uncovered a new malware strain called “Styx Stealer,” designed to steal browser and instant messenger data. Emerging in April 2024 and based on the Phemedrone Stealer, Styx Stealer enhances its predecessor’s capabilities with features like crypto-clipping, real-time clipboard monitoring, and auto-start functionality. It targets Chromium and Gecko-based browsers to extract sensitive information such as passwords, cookies, and cryptocurrency wallet data, while also compromising Telegram and Discord sessions. The malware resists analysis by antivirus programs and sandboxes, making it a formidable tool for cybercriminals.

Styx Stealer was developed by a Turkish hacker known as “Sty1x,” who marketed it via Telegram, charging between $75 per month and $350 for unlimited access. An operational security lapse exposed his identity and connections with a Nigerian cybercriminal linked to an Agent Tesla campaign. This revelation highlighted the broader network of cybercriminals involved in various illicit activities, including targeting Chinese firms. Despite Sty1x’s efforts, there are no confirmed victims beyond their own systems and a few security sandboxes, suggesting that their attempts to widely distribute Styx Stealer were largely unsuccessful.

New Phishing Attack Targets Android & iOS Users

A new phishing attack targeting both Android and iOS users has been discovered, combining traditional social engineering techniques with the use of Progressive Web Applications (PWAs) and WebAPKs. First identified in November 2023, the attack primarily targets clients of Czech banks, though cases have also been reported in Hungary and Georgia, indicating a wider spread. The attackers employ various delivery methods, such as automated voice calls, SMS messages, and social media ads, which often use official bank mascots and logos to lure victims to a phishing link mimicking a Google Play page. If accessed via a mobile device, the page prompts the installation of a phishing app disguised as a legitimate banking application.

This phishing app, installed as a PWA or WebAPK, is almost indistinguishable from the real banking app, leading victims to a fake login page that captures their banking credentials. The stolen information is then transmitted to the attackers’ Command and Control (C&C) servers, which are operated by two distinct groups—one using a Telegram bot for real-time logging, and the other using a traditional C&C server. The attackers have managed to evade detection by frequently changing domains and launching new campaigns. To mitigate the risk, users should be cautious when installing apps, verify the authenticity of downloads, and keep their devices updated with the latest security patches.

Linux Kernel Vulnerability

Researchers have identified a vulnerability in the Linux kernel’s dmam_free_coherent() function, caused by a race condition during the process of freeing DMA (Direct Memory Access) allocations and managing associated resources. This flaw can lead to system instabilities, as DMA is essential for allowing hardware devices to transfer data directly to and from system memory without CPU involvement. The vulnerability arises from an improper order of operations within the function, which could result in incorrect memory access, data corruption, or system crashes.

The vulnerability is particularly concerning because an attacker could exploit the race condition by timing their operations to coincide with the freeing and reallocation of DMA memory. If successful, this could cause the devres_destroy function to free the wrong memory entry, triggering a WARN_ON assertion in the dmam_match function, which is part of the DMA management subsystem. This issue occurs when a concurrent task allocates memory with the same virtual address before the original entry is removed from the tracking list, potentially leading to significant system errors.

To address this vulnerability, Greg Kroah-Hartman committed a patch (CVE-2024-43856) authored by Lance Richardson from Google, which modifies the dmam_free_coherent function. The patch swaps the order of the function calls, ensuring that the tracking data structure is destroyed before the DMA allocation is freed, thereby preventing the race condition. The patch has been tested on Google’s internal network encryption project and has been approved for inclusion in the mainline Linux kernel, mitigating the risk associated with this vulnerability. Exploiting this vulnerability to achieve arbitrary code execution would be complex and would likely require additional vulnerabilities or precise control over the target system.

Zero-day Vulnerability in Google Chrome

Google recently patched a high-severity zero-day vulnerability in its Chrome browser, CVE-2024-7971. This flaw, found in the V8 JavaScript engine, is a type confusion issue that can be exploited to execute arbitrary code. The vulnerability was reported by the Microsoft Threat Intelligence Center (MSTIC) and the Microsoft Security Response Center (MSRC) on August 19, 2024, and it is actively being exploited in the wild. In response, Google quickly released updates to mitigate the risk, urging users to update their browsers to the latest version.

The latest Chrome update, version 128.0.6613.84/.85, addresses a total of 38 security vulnerabilities, including several high-severity issues. Among these are CVE-2024-7964, a use-after-free vulnerability in the Passwords component; CVE-2024-7965, an inappropriate implementation in the V8 engine; and CVE-2024-7966, an out-of-bounds memory access flaw in the Skia graphics library. Each of these vulnerabilities could allow attackers to execute arbitrary code, leading to serious security breaches or system compromises.

Users are strongly advised to update to the latest version of Google Chrome to ensure protection against these vulnerabilities. While Chrome generally updates automatically, users can manually check for updates via Settings > About Chrome. Additionally, those using Chromium-based browsers such as Microsoft Edge, Brave, Opera, and Vivaldi should also apply the latest security updates as they become available. This patch highlights the need for vigilance and prompt action in the face of zero-day exploits in widely used software.

Chinese Hackers Exploiting Cisco Zero-day

A sophisticated cyber espionage group known as Velvet Ant, linked to China, has been found exploiting a zero-day vulnerability in Cisco NX-OS Software to deploy custom malware on network switches. The vulnerability, identified as CVE-2024-20399, was discovered by cybersecurity firm Sygnia during a forensic investigation and promptly reported to Cisco. This flaw, with a CVSS score of 6.0, allows an authenticated local attacker with administrative privileges to execute arbitrary commands as root on the affected devices due to insufficient validation of arguments passed to specific CLI commands.

Velvet Ant exploited this vulnerability to install a custom malware, dubbed VELVETSHELL, on compromised Cisco Nexus devices. The malware, which combines elements of the TinyShell Unix backdoor and the 3proxy tool, enables attackers to execute arbitrary commands, upload and download files, and create tunnels to proxy network traffic. Sygnia’s investigation revealed that Velvet Ant has been operating for approximately three years, targeting inadequately protected network appliances like outdated F5 BIG-IP systems to maintain long-term access and steal sensitive information.

Cisco has released software updates to patch the vulnerability and strongly advises customers to apply these updates immediately. Experts warn that network appliances, especially switches, are often under-monitored, with logs rarely forwarded to centralized logging systems, making it difficult to detect and investigate such malicious activities. To mitigate this threat, organizations are urged to apply Cisco’s updates, enhance monitoring of network appliances, regularly update administrator credentials, and adopt stringent security practices to prevent unauthorized access.

"SOS
CVE Top 10

The SOS Intelligence CVE Chatter Weekly Top Ten – 26 August 2024

 

This weekly blog post is from via our unique intelligence collection pipelines. We are your eyes and ears online, including the Dark Web.

There are thousands of vulnerability discussions each week. SOS Intelligence gathers a list of the most discussed Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVE) online for the previous week.

We make every effort to ensure the accuracy of the data presented. As this is an automated process some errors may creep in.

If you are feeling generous please do make us aware of anything you spot, feel free to follow us on Twitter @sosintel and DM us. Thank you!

 


 

1.  CVE-2023-45866

Bluetooth HID Hosts in BlueZ may permit an unauthenticated Peripheral role HID Device to initiate and establish an encrypted connection, and accept HID keyboard reports, potentially permitting injection of HID messages when no user interaction has occurred in the Central role to authorize such access. An example affected package is bluez 5.64-0ubuntu1 in Ubuntu 22.04LTS. NOTE: in some cases, a CVE-2020-0556 mitigation would have already addressed this Bluetooth HID Hosts issue.

https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-45866

 


 

2. CVE-2024-38112

Windows MSHTML Platform Spoofing Vulnerability

https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2024-38112

 


 

3. CVE-2024-38021

Microsoft Outlook Remote Code Execution Vulnerability

https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2024-38021

 


 

4. CVE-2024-38074

Windows Remote Desktop Licensing Service Remote Code Execution Vulnerability

https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2024-38074

 


 

5. CVE-2024-38052

Kernel Streaming WOW Thunk Service Driver Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability

https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2024-38052

 


 

6. CVE-2024-38080

Windows Hyper-V Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability

https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2024-38080

 


 

7. CVE-2024-38140

Windows Reliable Multicast Transport Driver (RMCAST) Remote Code Execution Vulnerability

https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2024-38140

 


 

8. CVE-2024-38199

Windows Line Printer Daemon (LPD) Service Remote Code Execution Vulnerability

https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2024-38199

 


 

9. CVE-2022-44666

Windows Contacts Remote Code Execution Vulnerability

https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2022-44666

 


 

10. CVE-2018-17144

Bitcoin Core 0.14.x before 0.14.3, 0.15.x before 0.15.2, and 0.16.x before 0.16.3 and Bitcoin Knots 0.14.x through 0.16.x before 0.16.3 allow a remote denial of service (application crash) exploitable by miners via duplicate input. An attacker can make bitcoind or Bitcoin-Qt crash.

https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2018-17144

 


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SOS Intelligence Weekly News Round Up

Weekly News Round Up

12 – 18 August 2024

CVE Discussion

Over the past week, we’ve monitored our vast collection of new data to identify discussions of CVEs. 

Ransomware Top 5s

News Roundup

Hackers’ Toolkit Exposed

Cybersecurity researchers have uncovered an extensive hacker toolkit, revealing a sophisticated set of tools designed for various stages of cyberattacks. The toolkit, discovered in an open directory in December 2023, comprises a range of batch scripts and malware targeting both Windows and Linux systems. These tools illustrate the hackers’ ability to execute a variety of malicious activities, from initial system compromise to long-term control and data exfiltration.

Among the most significant tools found were PoshC2 and Sliver, two command and control (C2) frameworks commonly used by penetration testers but repurposed for malicious purposes. The toolkit also included custom scripts designed for defence evasion and system manipulation, such as those for removing remote management agents, deleting system backups, and erasing event logs. These components reflect the attackers’ intent to maintain persistent access while covering their tracks.

The discovery of this toolkit highlights the advanced methods used by modern cybercriminals and emphasises the need for robust cybersecurity measures. Experts recommend that organisations adopt comprehensive security strategies, including regular updates, employee training, and advanced threat detection, to protect against these sophisticated attacks. The presence of tools aimed at stopping services, deleting backups, and disabling antivirus software suggests that the toolkit was likely used in ransomware activities.

Critical Vulnerabilities in AWS Identified

Researchers from Aqua identified critical vulnerabilities in six Amazon Web Services (AWS) offerings: CloudFormation, Glue, EMR, SageMaker, ServiceCatalog, and CodeStar. These vulnerabilities, varying in severity, posed significant risks such as remote code execution, service user takeover, AI module manipulation, data exposure, exfiltration, and denial of service (DoS) attacks, potentially affecting any organisation globally that utilised these services. Aqua introduced two key attack vectors, “Shadow Resource” and “Bucket Monopoly,” which exploit automatically generated AWS resources, like S3 buckets, created without explicit user commands. These techniques could allow attackers to execute code, steal data, or take over user accounts.

The vulnerabilities were reported to AWS between February and March 2024, with AWS confirming fixes for most by June 2024. However, a subsequent report indicated that the CloudFormation fix left users vulnerable to a DoS attack, prompting AWS to announce further work on this issue. By August 2024, the vulnerabilities and fixes were publicly discussed at prominent cybersecurity conferences, Black Hat USA and DEF CON 32. AWS’s response included adding random sequences to bucket names if a name conflict arose and planning the deprecation of CodeStar, which had been vulnerable but would no longer allow new projects.

One of the most critical vulnerabilities was in AWS Glue, where attackers could exploit predictable S3 bucket naming to inject malicious code into Glue jobs, leading to remote code execution. To mitigate these risks, it is recommended that organisations implement scoped policies, verify bucket ownership, and avoid using predictable bucket names. While AWS has addressed these specific vulnerabilities, similar risks may exist in other services, underscoring the importance of following best practices and implementing robust security measures to protect against evolving threats.

0-Click Vulnerability leading to RCE found in Outlook

Morphisec researchers have identified a critical vulnerability in Microsoft Outlook, labelled as CVE-2024-30103, which allows remote code execution when a malicious email is opened. This flaw builds on a previously discovered vulnerability, CVE-2024-21378, that exposed Outlook to remote code execution via synchronized form objects. The new vulnerability exploits weaknesses in the allow-listing mechanism, which fails to properly validate form server properties, enabling attackers to instantiate unauthorized custom forms.

The vulnerability hinges on how the Windows API function RegCreateKeyExA handles registry paths. Specifically, the function removes trailing backslashes, allowing attackers to manipulate registry keys and bypass security checks. This manipulation can lead to the loading of malicious executables when a specially crafted email is opened in Outlook. By exploiting this behaviour, attackers can execute arbitrary code within the Outlook process, potentially leading to data breaches, unauthorized access, and other malicious activities.

In response, Microsoft has issued a security update that revises the allow-listing matching algorithm to prevent such exploits. The update modifies how subkeys are matched by removing trailing backslashes before performing an exact match, enhancing system defences. Additionally, Microsoft has strengthened its denylist to block remote code execution attacks exploiting subkey manipulation. Despite these improvements, the evolving nature of security threats means organisations must remain vigilant, regularly updating and auditing their systems to protect against future vulnerabilities.

APT42 targeting US Presidential Election

The Iranian government-backed cyber group APT42 has launched a phishing campaign targeting high-profile individuals connected to the U.S. presidential election, according to Google’s Threat Analysis Group (TAG). This sophisticated threat actor, linked to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), has been focusing on individuals affiliated with both the Biden and Trump campaigns. The campaign is part of APT42’s broader efforts to support Iran’s political and military objectives through cyber espionage, with a notable focus on the U.S. and Israel, which together represent 60% of the group’s known targets.

APT42 employs a range of tactics in its phishing campaigns, including the use of malware, phishing pages, and malicious redirects, often hosted on popular services like Google Drive and OneDrive. The group is known for creating fake domains that closely resemble legitimate organizations, a tactic called typosquatting, to deceive their targets. Their phishing emails, often designed to seem credible, encourage recipients to enter credentials on fake landing pages, with the capability to bypass multi-factor authentication, making them particularly dangerous.

In response to these activities, Google has taken measures to secure compromised accounts and issued warnings to targeted individuals. They have also reported the malicious activities to law enforcement and are working with authorities to mitigate the threat. As the U.S. presidential election nears, the actions of APT42 highlight the ongoing risk of foreign interference, emphasizing the need for robust cybersecurity measures to protect democratic processes. High-risk individuals are advised to enhance their security, including enrolling in Google’s Advanced Protection Program.

Phishing Campaign masquerading as Google Safety Center

A sophisticated phishing campaign has been identified, where cybercriminals impersonate the Google Safety Centre to trick users into downloading a malicious file disguised as the Google Authenticator app. This attack threatens personal data by installing two types of malware, Latrodectus and ACR Stealer, on victims’ devices. Latrodectus allows attackers to remotely control the infected device, while ACR Stealer uses advanced techniques to obscure its command and control server, making it difficult for cybersecurity experts to trace and neutralize the threat.

What makes this campaign particularly concerning is the attackers’ use of advanced evasion techniques, which indicate a high level of sophistication and ongoing refinement of their methods. As cybercriminals continue to evolve, cybersecurity experts urge users to be cautious when receiving unsolicited emails or messages, especially those prompting software downloads. Verifying the authenticity of such communications and keeping software and security systems up to date are crucial steps in protecting against these increasingly sophisticated threats.

Photo by Kenny Eliason on Unsplash

"SOS
CVE Top 10

The SOS Intelligence CVE Chatter Weekly Top Ten – 19 August 2024

 

This weekly blog post is from via our unique intelligence collection pipelines. We are your eyes and ears online, including the Dark Web.

There are thousands of vulnerability discussions each week. SOS Intelligence gathers a list of the most discussed Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVE) online for the previous week.

We make every effort to ensure the accuracy of the data presented. As this is an automated process some errors may creep in.

If you are feeling generous please do make us aware of anything you spot, feel free to follow us on Twitter @sosintel and DM us. Thank you!

 


 

1.  CVE-2022-22965

A Spring MVC or Spring WebFlux application running on JDK 9+ may be vulnerable to remote code execution (RCE) via data binding. The specific exploit requires the application to run on Tomcat as a WAR deployment. If the application is deployed as a Spring Boot executable jar, i.e. the default, it is not vulnerable to the exploit. However, the nature of the vulnerability is more general, and there may be other ways to exploit it.

https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2022-22965

 


 

2. CVE-2021-44228

Apache Log4j2 2.0-beta9 through 2.15.0 (excluding security releases 2.12.2, 2.12.3, and 2.3.1) JNDI features used in configuration, log messages, and parameters do not protect against attacker controlled LDAP and other JNDI related endpoints. An attacker who can control log messages or log message parameters can execute arbitrary code loaded from LDAP servers when message lookup substitution is enabled. From log4j 2.15.0, this behavior has been disabled by default. From version 2.16.0 (along with 2.12.2, 2.12.3, and 2.3.1), this functionality has been completely removed. Note that this vulnerability is specific to log4j-core and does not affect log4net, log4cxx, or other Apache Logging Services projects.

https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-44228

 


 

3. CVE-2021-31805

The fix issued for CVE-2020-17530 was incomplete. So from Apache Struts 2.0.0 to 2.5.29, still some of the tag’s attributes could perform a double evaluation if a developer applied forced OGNL evaluation by using the %{…} syntax. Using forced OGNL evaluation on untrusted user input can lead to a Remote Code Execution and security degradation.

https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-31805

 


 

4. CVE-2022-22947

In spring cloud gateway versions prior to 3.1.1+ and 3.0.7+ , applications are vulnerable to a code injection attack when the Gateway Actuator endpoint is enabled, exposed and unsecured. A remote attacker could make a maliciously crafted request that could allow arbitrary remote execution on the remote host.

https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2022-22947

 


 

5. CVE-2018-17144

Bitcoin Core 0.14.x before 0.14.3, 0.15.x before 0.15.2, and 0.16.x before 0.16.3 and Bitcoin Knots 0.14.x through 0.16.x before 0.16.3 allow a remote denial of service (application crash) exploitable by miners via duplicate input. An attacker can make bitcoind or Bitcoin-Qt crash.

https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2018-17144

 


 

6. CVE-2022-30190

A remote code execution vulnerability exists when MSDT is called using the URL protocol from a calling application such as Word. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability can run arbitrary code with the privileges of the calling application. The attacker can then install programs, view, change, or delete data, or create new accounts in the context allowed by the user’s rights.
Please see the MSRC Blog Entry for important information about steps you can take to protect your system from this vulnerability.

https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2022-30190

 


 

7. CVE-2023-34362

In Progress MOVEit Transfer before 2021.0.6 (13.0.6), 2021.1.4 (13.1.4), 2022.0.4 (14.0.4), 2022.1.5 (14.1.5), and 2023.0.1 (15.0.1), a SQL injection vulnerability has been found in the MOVEit Transfer web application that could allow an unauthenticated attacker to gain access to MOVEit Transfer’s database. Depending on the database engine being used (MySQL, Microsoft SQL Server, or Azure SQL), an attacker may be able to infer information about the structure and contents of the database, and execute SQL statements that alter or delete database elements. NOTE: this is exploited in the wild in May and June 2023; exploitation of unpatched systems can occur via HTTP or HTTPS. All versions (e.g., 2020.0 and 2019x) before the five explicitly mentioned versions are affected, including older unsupported versions.

https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-34362

 


 

8. CVE-2024-21887

A command injection vulnerability in web components of Ivanti Connect Secure (9.x, 22.x) and Ivanti Policy Secure (9.x, 22.x) allows an authenticated administrator to send specially crafted requests and execute arbitrary commands on the appliance.

https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2024-21887

 


 

9. CVE-2024-38200

Microsoft Office Spoofing Vulnerability

https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2024-38200

 


 

10. CVE-2024-24974

The interactive service in OpenVPN 2.6.9 and earlier allows the OpenVPN service pipe to be accessed remotely, which allows a remote attacker to interact with the privileged OpenVPN interactive service.

https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2024-24974

 


"SOS
Ransomware

Ransomware – State of Play July 2024

Ransomware – State of Play

July 2024

SOS Intelligence is currently tracking 206 distinct ransomware groups, with data collection covering 424 relays and mirrors.

In the reporting period, SOS Intelligence has identified 388 instances of publicised ransomware attacks.  These have been identified through the publication of victim details and data on ransomware blog sites accessible via Tor.  While this data represents known and publicised data breaches and ransomware attacks, the nature and operation of these groups means that not every successful attack is published and made public, so true figures on the volume of attacks are likely to be higher.   Our analysis of available public data is presented below:

Threat Group Activity and Trends

Ransomware activity showed a 2% increase in July when compared to the previous month, and a 16% increase in activity when compared to the previous year.  Furthermore, the number of active groups has decreased to 34 from 37 the previous month.

This month has seen a significant increase in activity from Ransomhub, making a significant charge to fill the void left by LockBit.  Data for this strain may be skewed, however, by the group using multiple data leak sites to advertise and disseminate stolen data.

Significant activity has been noted from the Handala group, who have exclusively targeted Israel and Israel-based entities over the month.  Handala (Arabic: حنظلة) is a prominent national symbol and personification of the Palestinian people, so this activity is highly likely a response to the continued conflict in the Middle East.  Handala has been increasing activity against Israel throughout the year, including significant attacks against Zerto, and allegedly Israel’s Iron Dome air defence system.

Analysis of Geographic Targeting

Over the last month, targeting continues to follow financial lines, with the majority of attacks targeted at G7, EU and BRICS bloc countries.  Furthermore, a significant number of attacks have been directed towards Israel, with likely political motivations.

Compared to June, 4% more countries were targeted in July.  Our data is also showing interesting geographic targeting data.  We have observed emerging or developing strains targeting developing countries in Southeast Asia, Africa and South America, whereas more established variants focus more on North America, Western Europe and Australia.

Industry Targeting

Targeting has broadly increased across all victim sectors, however significant increases have been seen in the Manufacturing, Construction & Engineering and IT & Technology industries.

Notably, there appears to have been increased targeting against public-sector entities.  This is likely a result of many groups abandoning their affiliate rules on targeting of such victims.

Significant Events

Scattered Spider, a threat actor group known for its social engineering tactics and attacks on VMware ESXi servers, has recently incorporated new ransomware strains into its operations. The group has adopted RansomHub, a rebranded variant of Knight ransomware, and Qilin ransomware. Previously, Scattered Spider used the now-defunct BlackCat ransomware, but it has since shifted to deploying RansomHub in post-compromise scenarios, reflecting its evolving tactics and adaptation to new tools within the cybercriminal landscape.

A flaw in the cryptographic scheme of the DoNex ransomware family has been identified, enabling victims to recover their files for free using a newly released decryptor. This vulnerability, affecting all variants of DoNex, was revealed at a recent cybersecurity conference and involves issues with the encryption key generation and application of ChaCha20 and RSA-4096 algorithms. The decryptor, available through private channels since March 2024, was publicly released following the flaw’s disclosure. Victims are advised to use a large example file for decryption and to back up their encrypted data before proceeding.

Two Russian nationals have pleaded guilty to their involvement in LockBit ransomware attacks that targeted victims worldwide. As affiliates of LockBit’s ransomware-as-a-service operation, they breached vulnerable systems, stole data, and deployed ransomware to encrypt files. One of the individuals has been arrested and faces up to 25 years in prison, while the other has been sentenced to four years. Despite recent law enforcement actions that have seized LockBit’s infrastructure and decryption keys, the ransomware group remains active, continuing to target victims and release stolen data.

Threat Group Development

Change in threat group TTPs to target VMWare ESXi

Play ransomware has recently expanded its focus to target VMware ESXi environments, marking a significant shift in its operations toward broader Linux platform attacks. Utilizing a dedicated Linux locker, Play ransomware encrypts virtual machines (VMs) by first verifying the environment, then scanning for and shutting down active VMs before proceeding with encryption. This approach highlights the group’s advanced evasion techniques and adaptability in the ransomware landscape. The encryption process affects critical VM files, such as disks and configurations, with files receiving a .PLAY extension. Additionally, Play has started using URL-shortening services for its operations, further showcasing its sophistication.

Similarly, Eldorado ransomware, which initially targeted Windows systems, has expanded its scope to include VMware ESXi VMs since its emergence in March. This ransomware employs ChaCha20 encryption across both platforms, allowing affiliates to customise attacks. Meanwhile, the SEXi ransomware operation, rebranded as APT INC, has intensified its focus on VMware ESXi servers since February 2024, leveraging leaked Babuk and LockBit 3 encryptors. APT INC has gained notoriety with high-profile attacks, such as the one on Chilean hosting provider IxMetro Powerhost, with ransom demands reaching millions. The operation continues to use the same encrypted messaging application for negotiations, with no known weaknesses in its encryption for file recovery.

Evolution of BlackBasta

In 2024, Black Basta ransomware has shown significant evolution, adapting to challenges by shifting to custom malware and incorporating new tools after the disruption of its previous partner, QBot. The group now utilizes sophisticated malware like the SilentNight backdoor, memory-only droppers such as DawnCry and KnowTrap, and custom tunneling tools including PortYard and SystemBC. Additionally, it has integrated reconnaissance and execution utilities like CogScan and KnockTrock into its attack processes. These developments underscore Black Basta’s resilience and sophistication, as it continues to pose a formidable global threat by employing advanced tactics and exploiting zero-day vulnerabilities.

New & Emerging Groups

MAD LIBERATOR is a newly emerged ransomware group that launched its leak site in July 2024. The group claims to offer services to help companies fix security issues and recover their files, demanding a fee for their assistance. If the payment is not made, MAD LIBERATOR threatens to publicly list the companies and publish their stolen data. They employ AES/RSA encryption for securing the files. As of the report’s writing, the group had already listed eight victims on its leak site, showcasing their active and ongoing operations.

Ransomcortex is a lesser-known ransomware group with limited information available. However, the group has claimed responsibility for three attacks, all targeting the healthcare sector in Brazil. Despite the lack of detailed information, the choice of victims within such a critical industry highlights the potentially serious impact of their activities.

Vanir Group is a new ransomware group that has quickly gained notoriety for its aggressive and professional tactics. They publicize their attacks via a data leak site and issue intimidating messages to CEOs and domain administrators of the affected companies. These messages warn that the companies’ internal infrastructure has been compromised, backups deleted or encrypted, and critical data stolen. The Vanir Group stresses the importance of cooperation to avoid further damage, threatening to sell or distribute the stolen data if demands are not met. Their website also features an interactive terminal for updates and invites potential affiliates to join their operations. Interestingly, their leak site bears a resemblance to that of Akira, another notorious ransomware group.

Vulnerabilities Observed in Use

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