Welcome to our latest cybersecurity roundup. This week, Microsoft President Brad Smith admitted security failures that allowed Chinese hackers to access US officials’ emails. Truist Bank confirmed a breach affecting 65,000 employees. CISA led its first AI cybersecurity tabletop exercise, and Spanish authorities arrested a key member of the Scattered Spider hacking group. D-Link urged customers to update routers to fix a critical backdoor vulnerability. Stay informed on these pressing cybersecurity developments.

1. Microsoft’s President admits security failures in congressional testimony

In congressional testimony yesterday, Microsoft President Brad Smith admitted security failings that enabled Chinese state hackers to access emails of US officials in 2023. Smith accepted responsibility for issues cited in a Cyber Safety Review Board (CSRB) report. The report blamed Microsoft for security failures that let Chinese hackers, Storm-0558, access 25 organizations’ email accounts, including US officials. The hackers used a Microsoft encryption key and exploited flaws in the authentication system to gain global access to Exchange Online accounts. The CSRB found an inadequate security culture and gaps in Microsoft’s security processes.

Smith acknowledged Microsoft’s crucial cybersecurity role and the increased cyber threats from geopolitical conflicts. He apologized to those impacted by the Storm-0558 attack and outlined steps Microsoft is taking to enhance security. This includes implementing CSRB recommendations, transitioning to a new key management system, and enhancing token validation processes.Smith added that Microsoft has added security engineers and created the Office of the CISO to ensure security is prioritized. The company’s Secure Future Initiative aims to design and operate products with security in mind.Following harsh feedback from security experts, Microsoft has delayed its Recall AI feature for further security testing. This feature, intended for Copilot and Windows PCs, faced privacy concerns for recording users’ activities. The roll-out will now start with the Windows Insider Program for additional testing. (infosecurity magazine)

2. Truist commercial bank confirms a data breach

U.S. commercial bank Truist confirmed a breach in its systems from an October 2023 cyberattack. A threat actor, known as Sp1d3r, posted Truist’s data for sale on a hacking forum, claiming to have information on 65,000 employees, bank transactions, and IVR funds transfer source code. Truist, formed from the 2019 merger of SunTrust Banks and BB&T, quickly contained the breach, secured systems with outside consultants, and notified affected clients. The ongoing investigation has found no evidence of fraud. Truist denies any connection to the recent Snowflake incidents. (bleepingcomputer)

3. CISA leads first tabletop exercise for AI cybersecurity

The exercise was led by the Joint Cyber Defense Collaborative, which is a branch of CISA that works closely with industry. Fifty AI experts from 15 companies and several international cyber defense agencies were involved. This was a four-hour exercise intended to contribute knowledge to the security incident collaboration playbook, which is set to be released at the end of 2024. The goal of the exercise was to understand “what makes up AI-enabled or AI-related cybersecurity incidents, determining what types of information-sharing is needed and how industry can best work with the government, and vice versa. “A cyber incident could mean an AI system itself is jeopardized, or another system created by an AI is under threat,” said Clayton Romans, associate director of the Joint Cyber Defense Collaborative at CISA. (Cyberscoop)

4.  New Linux malware controlled through Discord emojis

Named DISGOMOJI, the malware has been observed using emojis to execute commands on infected devices in attacks on government agencies in India. According to BleepingComputer, “the malware was discovered by cybersecurity firm Volexity, which believes it is linked to a Pakistan-based threat actor known as UTA0137.” This is a group that is known for conducting cyberespionage activities. Volexity discovered a UPX-packed ELF executable in a ZIP archive, which they believe was distributed through phishing emails. “Volexity believes that the malware targets a custom Linux distribution named BOSS that Indian government agencies use as their desktop.” (BleepingComputer)

5. Spanish authorities snag a top Scattered Spider hacker

Spanish authorities, with assistance from the FBI, have arrested 22-year-old Tyler Buchanan, a key figure in the Scattered Spider hacking group, notorious for attacking organizations like MGM Resorts, Twilio, and Apple. Buchanan was apprehended in Palma de Mallorca while attempting to fly to Italy. He controlled $27 million in bitcoin at the time. This marks the second major arrest of a Scattered Spider member in 2024, following Michael Noah Urban’s earlier capture. Despite these successes, experts warn that the group’s decentralized nature means they are likely to continue their activities, with new leaders ready to step in. (ITPro)

6. D-Link urges customers to upgrade routers against a factory installed backdoor

A critical vulnerability (CVE-2024-6045) in several D-Link routers allows unauthenticated attackers to gain administrative access. With a CVSS score of 8.8, this issue stems from a factory testing backdoor. Attackers can enable Telnet and obtain admin credentials. D-Link has released firmware updates; users should promptly update to secure their devices. (GBHackers)

7. Snowflake breach escalates with ransom demands and death threats

As many as 10 companies are facing ransom payments between $300,000 and $5 million following a breach against cloud-based data analytics firm Snowflake earlier this month. According to Mandiant, who has helped lead Snowflake’s case, the hacking scheme has “entered a new stage” as the ransom demands flow in, as well as death threats against the cybersecurity experts investigating the breach. The hackers gained access to the information by targeting Snowflake users using single-factor authentication techniques. Mandiant has said it anticipates the ransomware group to “continue to attempt to extort victims.” (Bloomberg)

8. Velvet Ant maintains three-year cyber espionage campaign 

This threat actor wasn’t going down without a fight. Researchers at Sygnia have uncovered a prolonged, sophisticated cyber-espionage campaign by China’s “Velvet Ant” group targeting a large company in East Asia. Despite repeated eradication attempts, the threat actor maintained persistence for about three years by exploiting legacy and unmonitored systems, particularly using an old F5 BIG-IP appliance for internal command and control (C&C). (Dark Reading), (Sygnia), (The Hacker News)

9. Empire Market operators face life for $430 million Scheme

Two of the suspected operators behind the prominent dark web marketplace, Empire Market, face life in prison for their part in facilitating more than $430 million in dark web sales. While users could buy everything from illicit drugs to counterfeit currency, the DOJ has charged the pair with helping cybercriminals conduct nearly four million transactions. 38-year-old Thomas Pavey and 28-year-old Raheim Hamilton operated the platform from 2018 to 2020. Prior to starting Empire Market, they sold counterfeit U.S. currency on the now-shut down AlphaBay. (The Record)

10. Nvidia becomes world’s most valuable company

Not directly a cybersecurity story, but undeniably central to the business, Nvidia has just become the world’s most valuable company following a new share price surge on Tuesday. The company is now worth $3.34TN, surpassing Microsoft and Apple. The rise in its value has largely been driven by the need for the chips used for artificial intelligence (AI). For some context, eight years ago, the company’s stock was worth less than 1% of its current price and at that time was mostly in competition with AMD, in a race to make the best graphics cards. (BBC News)

11. G7 to develop cybersecurity framework for energy sector

In an announcement made on Tuesday, the member nations of the G7 have agreed to develop a cybersecurity framework for operational technologies in energy systems that targets manufacturers and operators. Its intention is to “bolster the cybersecurity of the global supply chain for critical technologies used in the management and operation of electricity, oil, and natural gas systems worldwide. The [G7] comprises Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the UK, and the U.S. (InfoSecurity Magazine)

12. Gym chain Total Fitness suffers breach

The UK fitness group has been exposed by researcher Jeremiah Fowler, who says he discovered “an unsecured database containing the images of 470,000 members and staff – all accessible to anyone on the internet, no password required.” Speaking to The Register, he added that he had “also uncovered images of members’ identity documents, banking and payment card details, phone numbers, and even – in some cases – immigration records.” Representatives of Total Fitness disputed the extent of the data breach, saying that members’ images comprised a “subset” of the database, and that most images did not contain personally identifiable information, but Fowler claims that members’ images took up roughly 97% of the database. The company has now secured the database, and has reported the breach to the UK’s data regulator, the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), for investigation. (BitDefender)

13. Cybersecurity burnout costing firms more than $700M annually

A report from Hack the Box, a cybersecurity training center, suggests that “British and U.S. enterprises may be throwing away as much as $756m each year through lost productivity due to burned-out cybersecurity staff.” The research claims 84% of responding cybersecurity professionals are “experiencing stress, fatigue and burnout due to the rapid pace of technological change, mounting threat volumes and being forced to perform outside their skillset, and that that three-quarters (74%) have taken time off due to work-related mental well-being problems.” (InfoSecurity Magazine)

14. Hackers derail Amtrak Guest Rewards accounts

In a breach-disclosure notice it filed in Massachusetts, the passenger rail service said an unauthorized third party gained access to a customer database between May 15-18. Amtrak said its systems were not hacked, but that accounts were likely compromised using usernames and passwords from prior breaches. Affected data includes customer names, contact information, Amtrak Guest Rewards account numbers, date of birth, partial payment details (such as partial credit card number and expiration date), gift card info (such as card number and PIN) and other transaction and trip data. In some cases, the hackers took over accounts and changed emails and passwords to lock legitimate users out. Amtrak took quick action to restore accounts and reset passwords and also urged riders to rotate their passwords and implement multifactor authentication. (Dark Reading)

1. Hackers brick over 600,000 routers

Last October, subscribers of the ISP Windstream, which serves residential customers in 18 states, reported that their ActionTec T3200 routers suddenly stopped working, showing a steady red light and not responding to resets. Users blamed Windstream for pushing updates that bricked the devices. The ISP sent new routers to affected customers. Black Lotus Labs later revealed that malware took out over 600,000 routers, including those from Windstream, using Chalubo malware to permanently overwrite firmware. This attack, named Pumpkin Eclipse, was deliberate and targeted a single ISP’s autonomous system number. The incident raised concerns about the impact on rural communities and critical services. Researchers found no evidence of nation-state involvement and advised standard cybersecurity measures to prevent future attacks. Researchers noted that the attack was deliberate, with the threat actor using common malware instead of custom-developed tools to cover their tracks. Despite extensive analysis, the initial infection method remains unclear, though weak credentials or exposed administrative panels are possible entry points. (arstechnica)

2. Draft legislation looks to streamline federal cybersecurity regulations

Senator Gary Peters (D-MI) is proposing a bill to create an interagency committee to streamline federal cybersecurity regulations. The Office of the National Cyber Director (ONCD) would lead this effort, aiming to reduce compliance burdens for industries. This committee would identify and resolve conflicting cybersecurity requirements within a year and ensure regulatory updates are aligned. The draft legislation mandates a pilot program for at least three regulatory agencies to work with the committee on harmonizing rules. The bill also grants ONCD more authority in setting and coordinating cybersecurity regulations, which has support from industry and some experts who see a need for centralized oversight.

The proposal follows recent cybersecurity regulations from the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), highlighting the need for regulatory harmonization. Key challenges include managing jurisdictional conflicts among various congressional committees overseeing cybersecurity. However, Peters has a history of successfully passing cybersecurity legislation, and the bill has bipartisan appeal. If passed, the legislation would bolster ONCD’s efforts to streamline cybersecurity rules, ensuring better coordination across federal agencies. (The Record)

3. Ticketmster hack affects 560 million customers, third-party denies liability

The attack, which occurred on May 20, has been confirmed by its parent company, Live Nation, as having been the result of “unauthorized activity within a third-party cloud database environment containing company data.” A week later the threat actor ShinyHunters offered the data, which is alleged to contain PII and partial payment details of up to 560 million customers up for sale if a ransom payment of over $500,000 is not made. This is the same threat actor group who breached the Spanish bank Santander around the same time.

Meanwhile, the third-party vendor in question, cloud storage provider Snowflake has denied that its products were to blame for the Ticketmaster breach, or the Santander Bank, for that matter. According to a since-removed post on the website of security firm Hudson Rock, “the intruders were able to sign into a Snowflake employee’s ServiceNow  account using stolen credentials, and from there were able to generate session tokens,” however Snowflake, while acknowledging that a former employee’s demo account was accessed through stolen credentials, said it did not contain sensitive data, and that there was “no pathway for customers’ credentials to be accessed and exfiltrated from the Snowflake production environment.”   (The Guardian and The Record)

4. NSA shares mobile device best practices

The NSA has published a handy Mobile Device Best Practices report, offering tips to better protect those ubiquitous gadgets.  A simple method to thwart hackers is restarting your phone weekly, making it harder to steal information, due to many malware packages not having persistence. However, this won’t always prevent attacks. The NSA also highlights threats like malicious apps, Wi-Fi networks, spyware, and physical access. It’s a nice collection of best practices, easy to share with friends, family and coworkers. (Zdnet)

5. Authorities unmask criminals behind malware loaders

As part of Operation Endgame, law enforcement agencies in 13 countries have revealed the identities of eight Russians linked to the distribution and administration of malware loaders including Bumblebee, IcedID, Pikabot, Smokeloader, SystemBC, and Trickbot. The loaders have been used for years to steal user data, distribute other malware, and propagate phishing campaigns. Forty-two-year-old Airat Rustemovich Gruber, has been identified as the administrator of the Smokeloader botnet, which first appeared in 2011. Seven other Russian nationals (Oleg Vyacheslavovich Kucherov, Sergey Valerievich Polyak, Fedor Aleksandrovich Andreev, Georgy Sergeevich Tesman, Anton Alexandrovich Bragin, Nikolaevich Chereshnev, and Andrei Andreyevich) are wanted for their ties with the TrickBot operation. Germany’s federal police authorities (BKA) have listed the suspects on their website along with information about the harmful loaders and the joint operation. (SecurityWeek)

6. Atlassian Confluence bug allows code execution

Researchers at SonicWall Capture Labs have discovered a remote code execution vulnerability (CVE-2024-21683) in the Atlassian Confluence Data Center and Server. The bug is assigned a CVSS score of 8.3 out of 10, and can be exploited by uploading a forged JavaScript language file containing malicious code. A proof-of-concept (PoC) exploit code has already been made available so admins should upgrade to the latest versions of Confluence as soon as possible. The researchers have published the indicators of compromise (IoCs) for the bug so admins can check for signs of exploitation. (Dark Reading)

7. Utah student floods hackers with false info to thwart Phishing

A Davis County high school junior, Charles Mortensen, developed a program dubbed VEGA (Victims’ Empowerment Guard against Attacks), which aims to take down phishing sites by flooding them with fake usernames and passwords. Mortensen said the program can send about half a million requests to a hacker site within a night, typically taking the site offline by the morning. Mortensen was motivated to create VEGA when a friend residing in foster care fell victim to an Instagram phishing attempt, jeopardizing her only means of contacting her mom. Mortensen said VEGA has enabled him to take down thirty phishing sites within a month. He is seeking a sponsor to help him to scale the operation to potentially dismantle much larger volumes of phishing sites. (The Cyber Express)

8. A report finds Rural hospitals vulnerable to ransomware

A new report from CSC 2.0, an offshoot of the Cyberspace Solarium Commission, warns that rural hospitals are particularly vulnerable to ransomware attacks due to their limited resources and outdated technology. The report finds that federal funding is crucial to addressing this issue, as it will allow for major cybersecurity investments. The threat is no longer theoretical, with recent attacks on large healthcare providers, including Ascension and Change Healthcare, disrupting patient care and medical procedures. The report recommends increasing funding for the Department of Health and Human Services, updating cybersecurity objectives, and encouraging health care providers to invest in basic cybersecurity measures such as employee training and managed IT services. (Cyberscoop)

9. Ransomware attack forces London hospitals to cancel operations

Several of London’s largest hospitals were forced to cancel operations and declare critical incident emergency status after Synnovis, a third-party provider, experienced a ransomware attack. A spokesperson for the region said the attack left multiple hospitals without access to pathology services, with “blood transfusion being particularly affected.” According to The Register, all of Synnovis’s IT systems are believed to be impacted, and as of this recording, there is no timeline for when operations are expected to be back online. (Infosecurity Magazine), (The Register), (The Record)

10. Christie’s stolen data sold to highest bidder

Going once, going twice, Christie’s stolen data has been sold. The world-renowned auction house fell victim to a second ransomware attack this year in early May, resulting in the theft of personal information from their high-profile clients. The ransomware group RansomHub set a June 3rd deadline for Christie’s to pay the ransom. When Christie’s failed to comply, the group announced on their website that the stolen data had been sold to an anonymous third party for an undisclosed amount. RansomHub claims to have stolen information from at least 500,000 of Christie’s clients, including full names, passport details, and home addresses, though this number has not been confirmed. (The Register)

11. A TikTok zero-day targets high profile accounts

Threat actors exploited a zero-day vulnerability in TikTok’s direct messages feature to hijack high-profile accounts, including those of CNN, Paris Hilton, and Sony. The malware spreads by simply opening a direct message within the app. TikTok spokesperson Alex Haurek stated that their security team has stopped the attack and is working with affected users to restore access. The extent of the impact remains unclear. No technical details about the vulnerability were disclosed. (Security Affairs)

12. OpenAI insiders describe a culture of recklessness and secrecy

A group of OpenAI insiders, including nine current and former employees, is exposing what they describe as a culture of recklessness and secrecy at the company, The New York Times reports.  The insiders claim OpenAI prioritizes profits over safety in its race to develop artificial general intelligence (AGI). The insiders accuse the company of using restrictive nondisparagement agreements to silence concerns. Former researcher Daniel Kokotajlo, a leading whistleblower, criticized OpenAI for its aggressive pursuit of AGI without sufficient safety measures. The group recently published an open letter calling for greater transparency and protections for whistleblowers in AI companies. They demand an end to restrictive agreements and advocate for a culture that allows open criticism and anonymous reporting of safety issues.

OpenAI is also dealing with several controversies, including legal battles over copyright infringement and backlash from its recent voice assistant launch. The company has faced internal turmoil, including the departure of senior AI researchers Ilya Sutskever and Jan Leike, who left due to concerns over safety being neglected in favor of rapid development. OpenAI has responded, claiming a commitment to safety and transparency and announcing new safety initiatives. The whistleblowers, however, remain skeptical and are urging regulatory oversight to ensure responsible development of powerful AI systems. (NY Times)

13. AI leveling up unsophisticated threat actors

Speaking at an event in Washington, US Treasury CISO Sarah Nur and FBI cyber division deputy assistant director Cynthia Kaiser both said that new AI tools made it easier for less sophisticated threat actors to become “at least mildly better,” allowing for things like performing scripting tasks and finding coding errors. Also at the event, assistant secretary for cyber and technology security in the State Department’s Bureau of Diplomatic Security Gharun Lacy said he’s seen AI used as an amplifier by threat actors, used to improve their best skills. All said the government needs to improve information sharing and coordination with partners across public and private sectors. (FedScoop)

14. Researchers find Chinese espionage operation

Security researchers at Sophos detailed an operation dubbed “Crimson Palance” operating in Southeast Asia throughout 2023, with unmanaged access likely starting in early 2022. This used three distinct clusters of intrusion activity that showed signs of coordination. Attack techniques and infrastructure align with Chinese state-sponsored actors. The operators primarily looked to prolong access to networks to collect sensitive military and technical information from victims. (Infosecurity Magazine)

15. Interpol makes cyber sabotage arrests

Moldovan authorities coordinated with French prosecutors and the FBI to detain four people suspected of attempting to sabotage Interpol’s Red Notice system. Red Notice is used to alert 195 member countries of wanted individuals. The suspects allegedly paid intermediaries millions of dollars to inform people listed on Red Notice as well as attempting to delete notices. The UK National Crime Agency also said it uncovered the names of other individuals accepting bribes for similar actions. Interpol said it added “additional measures” to ensure the system could not be abused with similar incidents going forward. (The Record)

16. Commando Cat targets Docker servers to deploy crypto miners

Researchers at Trend Micro describe Commando Cat, a campaign that exploits exposed Docker remote API servers to deploy cryptocurrency miners. Active since early 2024, attackers use the cmd.cat/chattrDocker image to gain access to the host system. They create containers that bind the host’s root directory, allowing unrestricted access. The attackers download and execute a malicious binary, often employing sophisticated techniques to evade detection. This campaign underscores the importance of securing Docker configurations, using trusted images, and performing regular security audits to prevent such attacks. (Trendmicro)

17. FCC moves forward with BGP security measures

The Federal Communications Commission unanimously voted to advance a proposal to improve the security of the Border Gateway Protocol (BGP) for the internet. Under this proposal, broadband providers must develop and maintain private BGP security plans, with the top nine providers submitting quarterly progress reports to the FCC. The commission highlighted current BGP vulnerabilities that have been exploited by a Chinese telecommunications company to misroute U.S. internet traffic multiple times. Additionally, the FCC approved a $200 million pilot program to help schools and libraries purchase cybersecurity equipment, despite opposition. (CyberScoop)

18. LockBit ransomware gang victims get lifeline from FBI

Are you or someone you know a victim of the LockBit ransomware gang? The FBI’s Cyber Division says they can help. A spokesperson for the agency said they have obtained more than 7,000 LockBit ransomware decryption keys and are urging victims to reach out to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3).  The report asks for information such as which version of LockBit was used to encrypt your system, what files were encrypted, and a copy of the ransom note. (IC3 Reporting Form), (Security Week)

19. Apple to debut rival password management app

Apple is saying move over 1Password and LastPass. According to Bloomberg, the tech giant plans to launch its competing password management app as early as next week. The new app, called Passwords, is similar to iCloud Keychain in that it will sync passwords the same way, but the new app will separate logins into different categories, including accounts, Wi-Fi networks, and passkeys. The new app is expected to be introduced on June 10 and available in iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and macOS 15. (The Verge), (Bloomberg)

Have questions? Reach out to RedSeal today to chat with one of our cybersecurity experts.

Welcome to our latest cybersecurity roundup. This week, we cover a breach of Japan’s solar power grid by Hacker CN, LockBit’s release of 300 GB of London Drugs data, a new global ATM malware threat, and a critical vulnerability in Cisco’s Firepower Management Center software. We also discuss RansomHub’s threats against Christie’s, the FBI’s insights into the Scattered Spider group, Check Point’s VPN breach attempts, and a Fortinet SIEM exploit. Additionally, we highlight the recovery of a lost password to a $3 million crypto wallet, NIST’s efforts to clear its vulnerability backlog, and Okta’s warning of credential stuffing attacks.

We’re here to keep you informed on pressing cybersecurity developments from around the globe.

1. Hackers access a Japanese solar power grid

Japanese media reported a significant cyberattack on the solar power grid infrastructure, marking what might be the first publicly confirmed incident of its kind. Malicious actors hijacked 800 SolarView Compact remote monitoring devices, manufactured by industrial control electronics company Contec, at various solar power generation facilities. The cybercriminals used these compromised devices to engage in bank account thefts – they were after compute power. The hacker group responsible for the attack is likely Hacker CN, also known as Arsenal Depository. South Korean security firm S2W identified Hacker CN as a group potentially based in China or Russia. This group was previously linked to hacktivist attacks targeting Japanese infrastructure, particularly after the Japanese government released contaminated water from the Fukushima nuclear power plant, under an operation termed “Operation Japan.” Though the exploitation of these remote monitoring devices did not threaten power system operations, experts caution that such intrusions could be more dangerous if highly capable adversaries gained access. (CSO Online)

2. Lockbit drops 300 gigabytes of data from London Drugs

Last month, cybercriminals stole files from London Drugs’ head office and have now released some data after the company refused to pay a ransom. The Richmond, B.C.-based retailer said the files might contain employee information and is offering affected staff credit monitoring and identity theft protection. The hacking group LockBit claimed responsibility, releasing over 300 gigabytes of data. London Drugs, which shut down its stores temporarily, stated there’s no evidence customer data was compromised. LockBit, described as the “world’s most harmful cybercrime group,” has been disrupted by international law enforcement efforts, but it remains active. (The Star)

3. New ATM malware poses significant global threat

According to notifications posted on a dark web news site, a threat actor is advertising a new malware that it claims is able to compromised 99% of ATM devices in Europe and 60% of ATMs worldwide. The announcement claims it can target machines made by the world’s leading ATM manufacturers including Diebold Nixdorf, Bank of America, NCR, and Hitachi. The malware can operate automatically or with manual oversight, and interested parties are being offered a three day trial using a test payload. (Security Affairs)

4. High-severity vulnerability hits Cisco Firepower Management Center

Cisco is warning of a vulnerability with a CVSS score 8.8 within the web-based management interface of the Firepower Management Center (FMC) Software. This vulnerability is an SQL injection issue which can be exploited for an attacker who has at least Read Only user credentials. There are currently no workarounds for this vulnerability, but Cisco has confirmed that it does not affect Adaptive Security Appliance (ASA) Software or Firepower Threat Defense (FTD) Software. (Cisco advisory)

5. The RansomHub group puts a deadline on Christie’s

The hacker group RansomHub, responsible for a recent attack on Christie’s, has threatened to leak sensitive client information if ransom demands aren’t met by May 31. RansomHub, previously behind an attack on Change Healthcare, claimed access to Christie’s data on the dark web, releasing sample data including names, birth dates, and nationalities. Christie’s acknowledged a tech issue in early May, just before major auctions, revealing unauthorized access by a third party. Despite rejecting initial ransom demands, Christie’s faces pressure to comply to avoid GDPR fines and reputational damage. (ITPro)

6. The FBI untangles Scattered Spider

At last week’s Sleuthcon conference just outside Washington DC, Bryan Vorndran, assistant director of the FBI’s Cyber Division, revealed insights into Scattered Spider, a cybercriminal group linked to numerous high-profile breaches. Known also as 0ktapus or UNC3944, Scattered Spider comprises around 1,000 members, many of whom do not know each other directly. Vorndran described the group as a “very, very large, expansive, dispersed group of individuals.” This group has breached several prominent companies, including MGM Resorts and Okta. The FBI considers Scattered Spider a top-tier cybersecurity threat, alongside nation-state actors from China and Russia. Composed primarily of native English speakers from the United States and the United Kingdom, the group employs both digital and physical threats. Some members even offer violence as a service, engaging in activities such as assaults and property damage to extort victims. Despite facing criticism for the lack of public arrests, the FBI officials say they have taken non-public actions against the group. In January, authorities in Florida arrested 19-year-old Noah Urban, identified as a key figure in the crime ring. (Cyberscoop)

7. Attackers target Check Point VPNs to access corporate networks

On Monday, cybersecurity firm Check Point issued an advisory that it observed a small number of attempts to breach its customers’ VPNs this past Friday. The attacks did not attempt to exploit a software vulnerability but instead targeted customers who are using outdated VPN local accounts with password-only authentication. The company advised customers to secure network accounts by adding another layer of authentication. Check Point also released a solution designed to automatically prevent unauthorized access via local accounts using password-only authentication. (Infosecurity Magazine)

8. PoC exploit released for bug in Fortinet SIEM

Security researchers at Horizon3’s Attack Team released a proof-of-concept (PoC) exploit for a remote code execution issue in Fortinet’s SIEM solution (CVE-2024-23108). The PoC exploit allows commands to execute as root on several versions of Internet-facing FortiSIEM appliances. Fortinet disclosed the maximum severity bug back in February, stating attackers may be able to execute unauthorized commands via crafted API requests. The researchers published indicators of compromise to help owners of vulnerable devices investigate potential issues. (Bleeping Computer and Security Affairs)

9. Researchers crack 11-year-old password to $3 million crypto wallet

Researcher Joe Grand and a friend helped a man find the lost password to his cryptocurrency wallet containing 43.6 BTC, valued at nearly $2.96 million. The anonymous man, dubbed Michael, set up a crypto wallet in 2013 and then used RoboForm to create its unique 20-character password. Michael opted to store the password in an encrypted file instead of storing it in RoboForm due to security concerns. However, he lost the password when the encrypted file became corrupted. The researchers recovered Michael’s password by exploiting a long-fixed vulnerability in the RoboForm password generator. Michael said he was glad he lost access to his wallet as holding onto his tokens allowed them to appreciate from $5,300 in 2013 to roughly $68,000 at current rates. He gave a portion of his bitcoin to the researchers as payment for their help. (The Block and Slashdot)

10. NIST hopes to clear out the NVD backlog

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has awarded a contract to help process incoming Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVEs) for the National Vulnerability Database (NVD). They aim to clear the backlog of unprocessed CVEs by September 30. NVD’s slowdown in CVE enrichment became evident in February. NIST is implementing a multi-pronged solution, including improved tools, automation, and a consortium to address challenges. They have started ingesting CVE 5.0 and 5.1 records hourly since May 20. NIST is committed to modernizing the NVD and addressing the growing volume of vulnerabilities with technology and process updates, ensuring the program’s sustainability and supporting automated vulnerability management. (Helpnet Security)

11. Okta warns users of credential stuffing attacks

Okta warns customers of credential stuffing attacks targeting the Customer Identity Cloud’s cross-origin authentication feature. Threat actors are using stolen username and password combinations from phishing, malware, or data breaches to compromise customers’ tenants. Customers should review logs for suspicious activity, such as failed or successful cross-origin authentication attempts and logins with leaked passwords. Okta advises rotating compromised passwords, enrolling in passwordless authentication, enforcing strong passwords, implementing MFA, disabling unused cross-origin authentication, restricting permitted origins, and enabling breached password detection. This warning follows a cyberattack in October 2023, where customer support system user data was stolen. (Securityweek)

12. Europol seizes 2,000 domains in dropper takedown

The law enforcement agency announced it carried out “Operation Endgame,” which targeted malware droppers used to initially get malware loaded onto systems. This saw the seizure of over 2,000 domains, four arrests across Armenia and Ukraine, and the release of over 13.5 million unique passwords to Have I Been Pwned. Authorities previously tied the dropper sites to use with IcedID, SmokeLoader, and Trickbot. German authorities also added eight other suspects related to this takedown to the EU’s Most Wanted list. (CyberScoop)

13. LightSpy makes its way to macOS

LightSpy serves as a modular surveillance framework, targeting iOS and Android devices. However, a report from ThreatFabric discovered a variant targeting macOS. It discovered this by exploiting a misconfigured interface, finding LightSpy can exploit a series of WebKit flaws to execute within Safari. The interface also showed references to Windows, Linux, and routers but did not include any technical documentation of how its attack chain works. It’s not clear how wide of a reach the spyware will have. It only works on macOS 10.13.3 or earlier. Apple cut off support for macOS 10 almost four years ago, so it’s probably vulnerable to a lot of other nasty stuff too. (Bleeping Computer)

14. An alleged leak of Google’s search algorithm contradicts the company’s public statements

A significant leak of 2,500 internal Google documents reveals detailed insights into how the company’s search algorithm functions, contradicting Google’s long-standing public statements. SEO expert Rand Fishkin, who received the documents, claims they show Google has misled the public about its ranking processes. The documents detail Google’s search API and data collection practices, offering technical insights valuable to developers and SEO professionals. Key revelations include discrepancies about the use of Chrome data in rankings and the role of E-E-A-T (experience, expertise, authoritativeness, and trustworthiness). Despite Google’s claims that Chrome data isn’t used for ranking and E-E-A-T isn’t a ranking factor, the documents suggest otherwise. They show Google tracks author data, which may influence search results, contrary to Google’s public statements.This leak challenges Google’s transparency, showing a complex, secretive system influencing web content and sparking calls for more critical examination of Google’s claims by journalists and the SEO industry. The U.S. government’s antitrust case against Google adds to this scrutiny, highlighting the need for greater accountability in how Google operates its search engine. (The Verge)

15. German researchers discover a critical vulnerability in a TP-Link router 

Security researchers from German cybersecurity firm ONEKEY have discovered a critical vulnerability in TP-Link’s Archer C5400X router with a maximum severity score of 10.0. The flaw in the “rftest” network service o allows remote, unauthenticated attackers to execute arbitrary commands, compromising the device completely. Exploiting this vulnerability can let hackers inject malware or use the router for further attacks. TP-Link has released a patched version, and users should update their firmware immediately to secure their routers from potential exploitation. (Techspot)

16. New North Korean hacking group emerges

A North Korean hacking group has been formally identified by Microsoft, and it has been given the name Moonstone Sleet, an upgrade from its earlier name Storm-1789, a nomenclature system Microsoft uses for uncategorized malicious actors. Moonstone Sleet appears to share techniques and code with another North Korean group, Diamond Sleet. Currently its TTP portfolio includes “setting up fake companies and job opportunities to engage with potential targets, deploying trojanized versions of legitimate tools, and creating malicious games and custom ransomware.” (InfoSecurity Magazine)

17. New report looks at the security dangers of inadequate offboarding

Wing Security says that 63% of businesses may have former employees who still have access to organizational data. Inadequate or insufficient offboarding practices, the company says, often happen during periods of mass layoffs, citing the 80,000 tech employees who were made redundant in the first half of 2024 alone, “especially considering that the average employee uses 29 different SaaS applications.” The report cites four distinct risks, being data breaches, compliance violations, insider threats, and intellectual property theft. Their recommendation is to use automation in SaaS Security Posture Management (SSPM). A link to the report is available in the show notes to this episode. (The Hacker News and Wing Security)

In high-security environments like the DoD and the Intelligence Community, the System Security Plan (SSP) is critical for ensuring that systems handle sensitive national security data appropriately. It helps in achieving and maintaining the authorization to operate (ATO), which is mandatory for systems that process, store, or transmit classified information. The SSP ensures all stakeholders are aware of the security features of the system and understand their responsibilities in maintaining its security integrity.

The SSP is not only a compliance document but also a dynamic tool used for ongoing security management and decision-making, essential for maintaining the stringent security requirements demanded by the DoD and Intelligence Community.

RedSeal plays a pivotal role in assisting Information System Security Officers (ISSOs) and Information Systems Security Managers (ISSMs) in creating and maintaining a System Security Plan (SSP) for the systems managed within high-security environments.

How RedSeal can contribute to each aspect of an SSP:

Step 1: System identification

RedSeal function: Provides detailed network mapping and visualization capabilities.

Benefit: Helps define the system boundary by identifying all network devices and connections, ensuring a comprehensive description of the system.

Step 2: System environment

RedSeal function: Models both the physical and virtual aspects of the network environment.

Benefit: Offers a clear view of how the system operates within its environment, including how data flows across the network and external interactions.

Step 3: Security requirements

RedSeal function: Integrates with compliance frameworks and checks against security policies.

Benefit: Ensures all security controls meet specific requirements outlined in relevant security standards and regulations.

Step 4: Security controls implementation

RedSeal function: Automatically maps and validates security controls against industry standards like NIST SP 800-53.

Benefit: Helps document the implementation details of each security control within the network, including configurations and the effectiveness.

Step 5: Roles & responsibilities

RedSeal function: Does not directly manage roles and responsibilities but provides documentation and reporting that supports role definition.

Benefit: Helps define the scope of responsibility for network security, detailing responsibility for managing and operating specific security controls.

Step 6: System interconnection

RedSeal function: Identifies and documents all network connections and interdependencies.

Benefit: Assists in accurately describing each interconnection, including security measures and data flow between systems.

Step 7: Security assessment & authorization

RedSeal function: Facilitates security assessments by providing comprehensive network visibility and risk analysis.

Benefit: Enhances the security assessment process, helping document current security state and changes needed for maintaining or obtaining ATO.

Step 8: Risk assessment results

RedSeal function: Conducts thorough risk assessments and prioritizes vulnerabilities.

Benefit: Provides detailed insights into potential risks, helping to document current risks and previous assessments in the SSP.

Step 9: Incident response plan

RedSeal function: Models potential attack paths and simulates breach scenarios.

Benefit: Supports development and documentation of system-specific incident response plans by identifying critical assets and potential attack vectors.

Step 10: Maintenance & continuous monitoring 

RedSeal function: Offers continuous monitoring of the network’s security posture and compliance status.

Benefit: Helps document the procedures and technologies used for continuous monitoring and maintenance of security controls, ensuring the SSP remains up-to-date with the actual security posture of the system.

RedSeal significantly streamlines the process of SSP development and maintenance by providing critical data, insights, and automation capabilities. This support not only enhances the accuracy and effectiveness of the SSP but also reduces the manual effort required from ISSOs and ISSMs, allowing organizations to focus more on strategic security management tasks.

Download our System Security Planning datasheet today.

Welcome to our latest cybersecurity roundup. This week, we explore critical lessons from NERC’s GridEx VII exercise, the surge in Chinese-manufactured devices in US networks, increased OT attacks by Russia’s Sandworm group, a data breach disclosure by Dell, a gift card fraud warning from the FBI, and how solar storms impacted Midwest corn planting. We’ve compiled the latest headlines to keep you informed on pressing cybersecurity developments.

1. Lessons from NERC’s GridEx exercise

A report from NERC and the E-ISAC looks at lessons learned from the GridEx VII exercise, a simulated targeting of North America’s electric grid with cyber and physical attacks. The exercise, which was conducted over two days in November 2023, involved participants from the electric sector and the government, and was followed by an in-person meeting between industry executives and government leaders from the United States and Canada. Recommendations from the report include increasing resilience for communications systems essential for operating the grid, preparing for recovery from complex and prolonged power outages, and increased coordination efforts between non-federal government partners and electric utilities. (NERC)

2. Chinese-manufactured devices in US networks see a 41% YoY increase

A report from Forescout found that the number of Chinese-manufactured devices in US networks has increased 41% year-over-year, despite official bans by the US government. The report says, “Critical infrastructure organizations are among those that use the highest numbers of such devices and some of these industries more than doubled the number of Chinese-manufactured devices in their networks in one year. One vertical of interest is the government where Hikvision and Dahua cameras, despite being banned, remain connected to networks. Other devices, including Yealink VoIP phones, are also present in the thousands.” The researchers note that vulnerable IP cameras often serve as initial access points to sensitive networks, and China-linked APTs have been known to exploit these devices in the past. (Forescout)

3. More OT attacks tied to Sandworm

Mandiant has published a report on the recent activities of Sandworm, a threat actor attributed to Russia’s GRU. Mandiant now tracks the group as “APT44,” and notes that “no other Russian government-backed cyber group has played a more central role in shaping and supporting Russia’s military campaign.” The threat actor has a much broader focus than the war in Ukraine, however, and the researchers are tracking “operations from the group that are global in scope in key political, military, and economic hotspots for Russia.”

Mandiant’s report ties APT44 to several hacktivist groups that have claimed responsibility for attacks against OT systems in the United States and the European Union, including three water utilities in Texas, a wastewater treatment plant in Poland, and a hydroelectric dam in France. These attacks don’t seem to have had any serious effects, but the researchers note that “[c]ontinued advancements and in-the-wild use of the group’s disruptive and destructive capabilities has likely lowered the barrier of entry for other state and non-state actors to replicate and develop their own cyber attack programs.” Sandworm has been responsible for several damaging attacks in the past, including the 2017 NotPetya attack and the disruptions of Ukraine’s energy grid in 2015 and 2016. (Mandiant)

4. Dell discloses data breach

Dell has disclosed a breach involving customer names and home addresses, as well as “Dell hardware and order information, including service tag, item description, date of order, and related warranty information,” TechCrunch reports. The company didn’t provide information on how many customers were affected or how the data was breached. TechCrunch notes that a user posted on a dark web forum last month claiming to be selling 49 million customer records from Dell, including “information of systems purchased from Dell between 2017 and 2024.” (Techcrunch)

5. F5 Networks warns of new Big-IP vulnerabilities

The vulnerabilities, numbered CVE-2024-26026 and CVE-2024-21793, exist in the BIG-IP Next Central Manager (NCM), a single-pane-of-glass management and orchestration solution provided by F5. Discovered by a researcher at Eclypsium, the vulnerabilities can lead to device takeover via SQL injection and OData injection respectively. F5 suggests “restricting the management access to the impacted products to only trusted users and devices over a secure network.” (Security Affairs)

6. Gift card fraud ring targets retailers’ employees

A warning from the FBI regarding Storm-0539, a financially motivated hacking group that targets the mobile devices of retail department staff using a phishing kit that enables them to bypass multi-factor authentication. After stealing the login credentials of gift card department personnel, the group seeks out SSH passwords and keys, which along with employee PII can be sold online. They then use compromised employee accounts to generate fraudulent gift cards. (BleepingComputer)

7. Solar storms delay the planting of corn

And finally, last Friday we noted that coming solar storms had the potential to disrupt electronics here on planet Earth, including the electrical grid and GPS satellite signals.  Over the weekend, intense solar storms, the strongest since 2003, did indeed disrupt GPS systems crucial for self-driving tractors, causing some farmers in the Midwest to halt planting corn. This timing is critical as planting after May 15th can significantly reduce crop yields, according to the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Farmer Tom Schwarz noted that the precision required for his organic farming is so high that only GPS can achieve the necessary accuracy. Additionally, farmers were warned that future tending to their crops based on GPS data gathered this past weekend would likely be inaccurate. The solar storms reached a G5 severity, indicating potential major impacts on power grids and communications, although significant disruptions were avoided. We had clouds here in the Baltimore area, so no northern light show for us, but some of our colleagues from the Boston area shared pictures that were spectacular. (The Verge)

8. Black Basta ransomware targets critical infrastructure entities

The US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and the FBI have released a joint advisory on the Black Basta ransomware-as-a-service operation, stating that BlackBasta affiliates have breached more than five hundred organizations since the ransomware surfaced in April 2022. The advisory notes that the threat actors “have encrypted and stolen data from at least 12 out of 16 critical infrastructure sectors, including the Healthcare and Public Health (HPH) Sector.” The agencies add, “Healthcare organizations are attractive targets for cybercrime actors due to their size, technological dependence, access to personal health information, and unique impacts from patient care disruptions.” CNN cites sources as saying a Black Basta affiliate was responsible for the attack against the Ascension healthcare network last week. (CISA, CNN)

9. CMMC is coming, but concerns for small businesses persist under revamped rule

The Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) is being revamped and its implementation is imminent, but significant concerns remain for small businesses. The updated rules aim to improve the security of the defense supply chain by requiring contractors to meet specific cybersecurity standards. However, small businesses face challenges such as the high costs of compliance, resource constraints, and the need for technological upgrades. These challenges could be financially burdensome, requiring investments in cybersecurity infrastructure and training for employees. Additionally, small businesses may struggle to allocate the necessary resources to meet the new requirements. (Federal News Network)

10. A malicious Python package targets macOS users

A malicious Python package named ‘requests-darwin-lite’ on PyPI, mimicking the popular ‘requests’ library, targeted macOS devices using the Sliver C2 framework, a tool for gaining access to corporate networks. Discovered by Phylum, the attack included multiple obfuscation steps such as steganography within a PNG image to covertly install Sliver. The package has since been removed from PyPI following Phylum’s report. Sliver is known for its post-exploitation capabilities and has become a preferred tool for cybercriminals due to its effectiveness in simulating adversary actions and evading detection compared to other frameworks like Cobalt Strike. This recent incident underscores the ongoing rise in cybercriminal adoption of Sliver for targeting various platforms, including macOS.

Meanwhile, Apple has extended security updates to older iPhones and iPads, addressing a zero-day vulnerability initially patched in March for newer devices. This vulnerability, found in the iOS Kernel’s RTKit, could allow attackers to bypass kernel memory protections. Although the exploiters of this flaw and the specific nature of the attacks remain undisclosed, such iOS zero-days are often used in targeted state-sponsored spyware attacks. Devices including the iPhone 8, iPhone X, and various iPad models have received the patches. Users of these devices are strongly encouraged to update immediately to safeguard against potential exploits. (Bleepingcomputer)

11. A glimpse into Africa’s internet vulnerability

Early Sunday morning, several African countries experienced a severe internet outage caused by two severed undersea cables. The incident is under investigation but is suspected to have been caused by a ship anchor. The country recently experienced two similar disruptions including back in February,  when a ship’s anchor dragged through three cables in the Red Sea. Africa’s internet relies on a limited number of fragile undersea cables so when routes become unavailable, alternate pathways become jammed causing service slowdowns. Repairing damaged cables can take weeks due to requiring specialized skills and equipment and fair weather conditions. Progress toward improving Africa’s internet infrastructure challenges has been slowed by logistical and financial constraints. Experts say the problem needs to be solved through investment in diversified connectivity such as satellite internet links and vital communications infrastructure on the ground such as data centers and internet exchanges. (BBC)

12. Wichita ransomware attack resulted in data theft

The city of Wichita, Kansas has disclosed that the ransomware attack it sustained earlier this month led to the theft of personal and financial information. The city stated, “As part of our thorough review and assessment of this matter, we identified that certain files were copied from our computer network without permission between May 3 and 4, 2024. These files contained law enforcement incident and traffic information, which include names, Social Security numbers, driver’s license or state identification card numbers, and payment card information.”The city added, “We identified that this matter is related to a recently disclosed security vulnerability that affects organizations throughout the world.” SecurityWeek reports that the LockBit ransomware gang has claimed responsibility for the attack.(SecurityWeek)

13. Turla Group looks to backdoor diplomatic missions

Researchers at ESET detailed how an unnamed European Monistry of Foreign Affairs saw three of its diplomatic missions in the Middle Easter targeted by two novel backdoors. ESET said it had medium confidence that the Russian-affiliated group Turla orchestrated the attack. The LunarWeb backdoor deployed on servers, while LunarMail targeted workstations as an Outlook add-in, communicating with C2 servers over email. LunarMail spreads through a spearphishing email with malicious Word doc attachments, while LunarWeb uses a compiled ASP.NET page to decode two embedded components in the attack chain. An analysis shows both being used in targeted attacks since 2020. (The Hacker News)

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