Microsoft has released its monthly update to address vulnerabilities in its software. For this month, Microsoft has released security updates for Microsoft Windows, Internet Explorer, Microsoft Edge, ChakraCore, Microsoft Office and Microsoft Office Services and Web Apps, Visual Studio, Online Services, Active Directory, and Microsoft Dynamics. Read the update at Microsoft.
The Australian Cyber Security Centre (ACSC) has released an advisory on password spraying attacks, noting it is aware of a high volume of such attacks targeting Australian organizations. Password spraying is a type of brute-force attack in which a malicious actor uses a single password against targeted user accounts before moving on to attempt a second password, and so on. This technique allows the actor to remain undetected by avoiding rapid or frequent account lockouts.
According to Malwarebytes’ Q1 2019 Cybercrime Tactics and Techniques report, the U.S. is the country most affected by ransomware, with data from the company revealing that 53 percent of ransomware detections came from the country. Canada, which is the second most impacted country in the list, accounts for 10 percent of the ransomware detections. Further analysis of the statistics shows that ransomware attacks were most prevalent in Texas and California.
August 8, 2019
The NCCIC has updated this advisory by noting that Dräger and Schneider Electric, which are vendors of products that are affected by vulnerability, have released security advisories related to their products. Read the advisory at CISA.
July 30, 2019
While penetration tests (pentests) are a valuable tool in the cyber-quiver to find network vulnerabilities before the bad guys do, a lack of standards contribute to questionable practices that expose sensitive client data in publicly available repositories.
The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) is aware of a vulnerability (CVE-2019-1125) known as SWAPGS, which is a variant of Spectre Variant 1 – that affects modern computer processors. This vulnerability can be exploited to steal sensitive data present in a computer systems' memory. Spectre is a flaw an attacker can exploit to force a program to reveal its data.
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has released an alert on the Capital One data breach that exposed the personal information of 106 million Capital One credit card customers and applicants. FTC reminds users to check and monitor their credit report to protect against identify theft and to be aware of potential phishing scams related to the breach.
In the wake of the recent shootings in El Paso, TX, and Dayton, OH, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) advises users to watch out for possible malicious cyber activity seeking to capitalize on these tragic events. Users should exercise caution in handling emails related to the shootings, even if they appear to originate from trusted sources. Fraudulent emails often contain links or attachments that direct users to phishing or malware-infected websites. Emails requesting donations from duplicitous charitable organizations are also common after tragic events.
The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) National Cybersecurity Center of Excellence (NCCoE) has published Cybersecurity Practice Guide: Multifactor Authentication for E-Commerce, which discusses multifactor authentication (MFA) protection methods that can be implemented to reduce fraudulent purchases. Although this guide it specifically intended for online retailers, it can still be of use to any organization that receives payments from customers in online environments.
Cybersecurity firm Proofpoint identified a new spear phishing campaign that targeted three undisclosed U.S. utilities. Based on overlaps with historical campaigns and macros utilized, Proofpoint believes the campaign is state-sponsored. The convincing phishing lures purport to come from the National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying (NCEES), a business that handles professional licensing for engineers and surveyors, indicating the threat actors have a decent amount of industry knowledge.
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