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Today — 26 June 2024Cybersecurity

Neiman Marcus Alerts Customers After Data Breach Exposes Information of 64,472 Individuals

Neiman Marcus data breach

Neiman Marcus has issued a notification to its customers regarding a massive data breach that occurred in May 2024, potentially exposing sensitive personal information. The Neiman Marcus data breach, affecting approximately 64,472 customers, involved unauthorized access to a cloud database platform used by the luxury retailer, which is operated by Snowflake, a third-party provider. In a conversation with The Cyber Express, a Neiman Marcus spokesperson confirmed the breach, stating, "Neiman Marcus Group (NMG) recently learned that an unauthorized party gained access to a cloud database platform used by NMG that is provided by a third party, Snowflake." Prompt action was taken, with the spokesperson adding, "Promptly after discovering the incident, NMG took steps to contain it, including by disabling access to the platform."

Neiman Marcus Data Breach Confirmed

The Neiman Marcus data breach compromised a range of personal data, including customer names, contact details, dates of birth, and Neiman Marcus gift card numbers. "Based on our investigation, the unauthorized party obtained certain personal information stored in the platform," the spokesperson continued, clarifying that "The types of personal information affected varied by individual, and included information such as name, contact information, date of birth, and Neiman Marcus or Bergdorf Goodman gift card numbers (but without gift card PINs)." Neiman Marcus has acted swiftly, launching an investigation with leading cybersecurity experts and notifying law enforcement authorities. In compliance with regulatory requirements, the company has begun notifying affected customers, including reaching out to the Maine Attorney General's office. The retailer has advised customers to monitor their financial statements for any suspicious activity and has provided resources for individuals concerned about identity theft.

Mitigation Against the Neiman Marcus Data Leak

"We also began an investigation with assistance from leading cybersecurity experts and notified law enforcement authorities," the spokesperson emphasized. Customers are encouraged to request free credit reports, report any suspected fraud to law enforcement and the Federal Trade Commission, and consider placing a security freeze on their credit files as precautionary measures. Neiman Marcus Group, Inc., based in Dallas, Texas, is a popular luxury retailer that oversees brands such as Neiman Marcus, Bergdorf Goodman, Horchow, and Last Call. Since September 2021, it has been under the ownership of a consortium of investment firms led by Davidson Kempner Capital Management, Sixth Street Partners, and Pacific Investment Management. Following this Neiman Marcus data leak, the firm has established a dedicated toll-free hotline (1-885-889-2743) for affected customers seeking further information or assistance related to the data breach incident. 
Yesterday — 25 June 2024Cybersecurity

LockBit Claims Ransomware Attack on U.S. Federal Reserve

25 June 2024 at 15:16
LockBit ransomware Federal Reserve

The LockBit ransomware group is claiming that it hacked into systems at the U.S. Federal Reserve and stole 33TB of data that it will begin leaking as early as Tuesday if the institution doesn’t pay the unspecified ransom. The notorious cybercriminals announced the attack on its dark web leak site on June 23, giving the..

The post LockBit Claims Ransomware Attack on U.S. Federal Reserve appeared first on Security Boulevard.

Google’s Project Naptime Aims for AI-Based Vulnerability Research

25 June 2024 at 12:35
Google AI LLM vulnerability

Security analysts at Google are developing a framework that they hope will enable large language models (LLMs) to eventually be able to run automated vulnerability research, particularly analyses of malware variants. The analysts with Google’s Project Zero – a group founded a decade ago whose job it is to find zero-day vulnerabilities – have been..

The post Google’s Project Naptime Aims for AI-Based Vulnerability Research appeared first on Security Boulevard.

Airbnb’s Ban on Indoor Security Cameras: What It Means for Your Personal Cybersecurity

By: Leigh Dow
25 June 2024 at 11:48

Effective April 30, 2024 Airbnb, the global vacation rental giant, announced a significant policy change: the prohibition of all indoor security cameras in its listings worldwide. This decision, aims to bolster the privacy of guests and address longstanding concerns about hidden cameras. While the majority of Airbnb’s over 7 million listings did not report having […]

The post Airbnb’s Ban on Indoor Security Cameras: What It Means for Your Personal Cybersecurity appeared first on BlackCloak | Protect Your Digital Life™.

The post Airbnb’s Ban on Indoor Security Cameras: What It Means for Your Personal Cybersecurity appeared first on Security Boulevard.

Work From Home Security Checklist: Top Cybersecurity Tips for Remote Workers

By: Editorial
25 June 2024 at 06:50

Remote Workers

When transitioning to remote work, the dynamics drastically change from working within a dedicated office environment tailored to the tasks at hand. Adjusting to this new setting can pose challenges in ensuring responsible handling of sensitive company data. In this article, The Cyber Express (TCE) Team delves into essential cybersecurity measures your company should implement or may already have in place. TCE also emphasizes actions one can take personally, whether they're accessing networks from home or public locations. Both employers and employees share the responsibility of adhering to strong security protocols, especially with the rise of cyber threats. As organizations increasingly prioritize data protection and server security, it's crucial to stay informed about the latest cybersecurity tips for remote work environments. Keep reading to discover key steps to strengthen your cybersecurity posture while working remotely.

Cybersecurity Tips for Remote Workers

Know Your Organization's Cyberwork Policies
Understanding your organization's cyberwork policies ensures remote workers adhere to established protocols, safeguarding sensitive data. These policies typically include guidelines on using secure connections through VPNs, handling confidential information, and using approved applications. By following these protocols, the risk of phishing or malware attacks is reduced as vulnerabilities from unprotected networks and devices are minimized. Awareness of these policies empowers employees to identify and report suspicious activities promptly, facilitating swift responses to potential threats.
Use Only Approved Devices
Using devices approved by your organization is critical for cybersecurity as it ensures compliance with company security standards. Approved devices are equipped with essential security measures such as firewalls, antivirus software, and encryption protocols, effectively reducing vulnerabilities. Regular monitoring and updates ensure these devices remain secure with the latest patches, enhancing protection against unauthorized access and cyber threats. Moreover, using approved devices ensures compatibility with secure networks and systems, maintaining overall cybersecurity integrity.
Implement the Principle of Least Privilege
Implementing access controls based on the principle of least privilege limits access to sensitive information and systems to only those necessary for an employee's role. Strong authentication methods like two-factor authentication (2FA) further verify user identities, enhancing security. Regular review and updates of access permissions are essential, especially in remote work scenarios, to mitigate the risk of unauthorized access and ensure data security.
Secure Home Wi-Fi Networks
Securing your home Wi-Fi network is crucial when working remotely. Use strong, unique passwords and enable WPA3 encryption to protect against unauthorized access. Changing default router login credentials and regularly updating router firmware further enhances security by safeguarding against vulnerabilities and potential breaches. Consider segregating work and personal network usage to further bolster security measures.
Enable Two-Factor Authentication (2FA)
Activating two-factor authentication adds an extra layer of security by requiring a second form of verification alongside passwords. This significantly reduces the risk of unauthorized access, even if passwords are compromised. 2FA methods like SMS codes, authenticator apps, or biometric scans provide robust protection, particularly for handling sensitive work-related data remotely.
Use Strong, Unique Passwords
Protect work-related accounts and devices with strong, unique passwords that include a mix of characters, numbers, and symbols. Avoid using the same password across multiple accounts to mitigate the impact of a potential breach. Consider using a password manager to generate and securely store complex passwords, ensuring optimal security without the risk of forgetting passwords or compromising data integrity.
Use Antivirus and Antimalware Software
Deploy reliable antivirus and antimalware software to detect, block, and remove malicious software threats such as viruses and ransomware. Regular software updates ensure protection against evolving cyber threats, enhancing device and data security. Conducting regular scans helps identify and mitigate potential security risks, preserving the integrity of work devices and sensitive data.
Use a Virtual Private Network (VPN)
Utilize a VPN to encrypt internet connections and enhance security when accessing work-related data remotely. VPNs mask IP addresses and encrypt online activities, safeguarding against unauthorized access and data interception on unsecured Wi-Fi networks. Whether working from home or public locations, VPNs provide a secure channel for transmitting sensitive information, ensuring confidentiality and data integrity.
Keep Software Updated and Data Backed Up
Regularly update operating systems, applications, and security software to protect against vulnerabilities exploited by cybercriminals. Enable automatic updates to ensure devices have the latest security patches and firmware. Back up work data regularly using cloud-based solutions or external hard drives to safeguard against data loss due to hardware failures or cyberattacks. Automating backups ensures data integrity and availability, minimizing disruption and downtime.
Have a Plan of Action for Cyberattacks
Prepare and maintain a comprehensive plan of action for responding to cyberattacks to mitigate damage and facilitate swift recovery. The plan should outline steps for identifying, isolating, and mitigating threats, as well as notifying IT teams for immediate remediation. Regular drills and simulations help familiarize employees with incident response procedures, ensuring a prompt and effective response to cybersecurity incidents when working remotely. By implementing these cybersecurity tips for remote workers, one can enhance data protection, mitigate risks, and contribute to maintaining a secure work environment from any location.
Before yesterdayCybersecurity

Rafel RAT Used in 120 Campaigns Targeting Android Device Users

24 June 2024 at 13:33
Android Rafel RAT ransomware

Multiple bad actors are using the Rafel RAT malware in about 120 campaigns aimed at compromising Android devices and launching a broad array of attacks that range from stealing data and deleting files to espionage and ransomware. Rafel RAT is an open-source remote administration tool that is spread through phishing campaigns aimed at convincing targets..

The post Rafel RAT Used in 120 Campaigns Targeting Android Device Users appeared first on Security Boulevard.

Jollibee Probes Alleged Data Breach Affecting 32 Million Customers, Asks Public to Remain Vigilant

Jollibee Data Breach

Jollibee Foods Corporation (JFC), which is the largest fast-food chain operator in Philippines, has launched an investigation for an alleged data breach in its system that may have affected millions of its customers across the globe. The Jollibee probe was initiated after a threat actor claimed responsibility for breaching the systems of the Jollibee Foods Corporation. On June 21, The Cyber Express reported that a notorious attacker, operating under the alias “Sp1d3r”, claimed to have access to the sensitive data of 32 million customers of the fast food chain and offered to sell the database for $40,000 on the dark web. [caption id="attachment_78479" align="alignnone" width="1950"]Jollibee Cyberattack Source: X[/caption]

Details of Jollibee Probe into Cyberattack

The Philippines National Privacy Commission (NPC) regulations make it mandatory for organizations in the country to report and inform stakeholders of cybersecurity incidents within 72 hours of discovery. A statement was released on June 22 by Richard Shin, Chief Financial Officer and Corporate Information Officer of JFC, which said that it was addressing “a cybersecurity incident” that reportedly affected the company, “in addition to other subsidiaries”. “The Company is addressing the incident and has implemented its response protocols and deployed enhanced security measures to further protect the Company’s and its subsidiaries’ data against threats. The Company has also launched its investigation on the matter to understand the scope of this incident, and is currently working with the relevant authorities and experts in its investigation,” the statement said. JFC, however, added that its e-commerce platforms and those of its subsidiaries’ brands remained unaffected by the cyberattack and continued to be operational. It added that the safety of data from stakeholders was paramount for the company. “JFC recognizes the value and importance of the confidentiality of personal information of its stakeholders. The Company assures the public of its commitment to prioritize the protection and confidentiality of such personal information, including customer data, by continuously fortifying its defenses against future threats,” the company said. “The Company further assures the public that it continues to monitor and update its security measurements as appropriate under the circumstances, and as may be required by the results of its investigation into this matter,” it added. The fast-food delivery group urged the public to be vigilant and exercise good information security practices, including keeping passwords secure and changing them often.

Jollibee’s Cybersecurity Concerns  

The alleged data breach of the fast-food chain took place on popular data hack site BreachForums on June 20. The threat actor, “Sp1d3r”, claimed to have carried out a cyberattack and had gained access to the data of 32 million Jollibee customers, including their names, addresses, phone numbers, email addresses and hashed passwords. The hacker also allegedly exfiltrated 600 million rows of data related to food delivery, sales orders, transactions and service details. JFC, meanwhile, is investigating this alleged cyberattack on its brands and subsidiaries, including Greenwich, Red Ribbon, Burger King Philippines, and Highlands Coffee. This is not the first time that Jollibee has faced flak for its cybersecurity measures. In December 2017, JFC had informed of a data breach of its delivery website. The NPC had then warned that the data of 18 million customers was at “a very high risk” of being exposed. After an investigation, the NPC in May 2018 suspended Jollibee’s delivery website due to “serious vulnerabilities.” JFC also took down the delivery websites of its other brands. Media Disclaimer: This report is based on internal and external research obtained through various means. The information provided is for reference purposes only, and users bear full responsibility for their reliance on it. The Cyber Express assumes no liability for the accuracy or consequences of using this information.

Empowering Women in Cybersecurity: Insights from Irene Corpuz

By: Avantika
24 June 2024 at 01:28

Empowering Women in Cybersecurity

In a world increasingly dependent on digital infrastructure, the cybersecurity landscape continues to evolve, and so does the role of women in this critical field. Irene Corpuz, a cyber policy expert at the Dubai Electronic Security Center and co-founder and board member of Women in Cyber Security Middle East (WiCSME), shared her insights on effective strategies for encouraging women in cybersecurity and the challenges small businesses face in prioritizing cybersecurity at The World Cybercon META Edition hosted by The Cyber Express in Dubai.

Strategies to Encourage Women in Cybersecurity

Irene Corpuz believes that collaboration and communication are key to empowering women in cybersecurity. One of the most effective strategies is to collaborate and communicate our objectives and advocacy for increasing and empowering women in cyber," she states. By showcasing women in various roles—from mentors and speakers to leaders—on platforms like conferences, the visibility and success of these women can inspire others to pursue their ambitions in the field. "Seeing other women grow and succeed motivates them to pursue their dreams and careers," Irene emphasizes. She highlights the importance of a supportive community, which acts as a backbone for women in cybersecurity, helping them navigate and thrive in the industry.

Trends in Women's Participation in Cybersecurity

Reflecting on her journey, Irene observes a positive trend in the participation of women in cybersecurity. When WiCSME was founded in 2018, women made up only 12% of the cybersecurity workforce. However, this number has significantly increased to 25% by last year. This growth is attributed not just to WiCSME but to the collective efforts of various women-in-cyber organizations worldwide. "There’s a continuous growth, and awareness of the importance of diversity and inclusion in cybersecurity is becoming more widespread," Irene notes. This trend signifies a growing recognition of the value that diverse perspectives bring to the cybersecurity industry.

Challenges for Small Businesses in Cybersecurity

Transitioning the conversation to small businesses, Irene sheds light on the challenges they face in prioritizing cybersecurity. "Small businesses and young entrepreneurs often face constraints in financial resources," she explains. As these businesses focus on growth and expanding their customer base, investing in cybersecurity often becomes a secondary priority. However, Irene stresses the importance of embedding a cybersecurity and awareness culture from the beginning, even if it means taking small steps. "Startups and SMEs need to take baby steps in embedding cybersecurity and awareness culture within their employees," she advises. As these companies mature, their cybersecurity measures should evolve accordingly to build a resilient defense against cyber threats.

Conclusion

The insights shared by Irene Corpuz underscore the significance of community support and visibility in empowering women in cybersecurity. Furthermore, her perspective on the challenges faced by small businesses highlights the necessity of integrating cybersecurity practices gradually and consistently. As the cybersecurity landscape continues to evolve, the contributions of women and the resilience of small businesses will play a pivotal role in shaping a secure digital future.

Social Media Warning Labels, Should You Store Passwords in Your Web Browser?

By: Tom Eston
24 June 2024 at 00:00

In this episode of the Shared Security Podcast, the team debates the Surgeon General’s recent call for social media warning labels and explores the pros and cons. Scott discusses whether passwords should be stored in web browsers, potentially sparking strong opinions. The hosts also provide an update on Microsoft’s delayed release of CoPilot Plus PCs […]

The post Social Media Warning Labels, Should You Store Passwords in Your Web Browser? appeared first on Shared Security Podcast.

The post Social Media Warning Labels, Should You Store Passwords in Your Web Browser? appeared first on Security Boulevard.

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U.S. Bans Sale of Kaspersky Cybersecurity Software

21 June 2024 at 17:59
IoT checkmark, consumer, act, compliance, cybersecurity

Long simmering suspicions about the loyalty of Kaspersky Software, a cybersecurity firm headquartered in Russia, came to a head this week after the U.S. government banned the sale of the company’s software, effective July 20th, to both companies and individual consumers. In addition, the U.S. Treasury Department has placed sanctions on 12 senior leaders of..

The post U.S. Bans Sale of Kaspersky Cybersecurity Software appeared first on Security Boulevard.

Ross Randall’s 3 Essential Tips to Strengthening Your District’s Multilayered Cybersecurity

21 June 2024 at 17:33

 Recently, we hosted Ross Randall, Director of Technology at Lamar County School District in Georgia, and Tim Miles, Director of Technology at Steamboat Springs School District in Colorado, for a summer-inspired live webinar focused on fortifying your district’s multilayered cybersecurity strategy. From beach balls to firewalls, Ross and Tim generously shared their practical insights, […]

The post Ross Randall’s 3 Essential Tips to Strengthening Your District’s Multilayered Cybersecurity appeared first on ManagedMethods.

The post Ross Randall’s 3 Essential Tips to Strengthening Your District’s Multilayered Cybersecurity appeared first on Security Boulevard.

Python Developers Targeted Via Fake Crytic-Compilers Package

21 June 2024 at 03:00

As per recent reports, cybersecurity experts uncovered a troubling development on the Python Package Index (PyPI) – a platform used widely by developers to find and distribute Python packages. A malicious package named ‘crytic-compilers‘ was discovered, mimicking the legitimate ‘crytic-compile’ library developed by Trail of Bits. This fraudulent package was designed with sinister intent: to […]

The post Python Developers Targeted Via Fake Crytic-Compilers Package appeared first on TuxCare.

The post Python Developers Targeted Via Fake Crytic-Compilers Package appeared first on Security Boulevard.

Report Details Reemergence of Lockbit 3.0 Ransomware Syndicate

20 June 2024 at 19:29
people pointing at laptop keyboard.

An analysis of ransomware attacks claimed to have been perpetrated by cybercriminal syndicates that was published today by NCC Group, a provider of managed security services, finds LockBit 3.0 has reemerged to claim the top spot amongst the most prominent threat actors. Previously dormant following the groups’ takedown by law enforcement officials earlier this year,..

The post Report Details Reemergence of Lockbit 3.0 Ransomware Syndicate appeared first on Security Boulevard.

Association of Texas Professional Educators Reports Data Breach Affecting Over 414,000 Members

By: Alan J
20 June 2024 at 16:51

Association of Texas Professional Educators Data Breach

The Association of Texas Professional Educators (ATPE) is notifying more than 414,000 of its members that their personal information may have been compromised in a data breach incident that occurred earlier this year. ATPE is largest community of educators in Texas, and aims to elevate public education in the state. The association advocates for Texas educators and provides affordable, high-quality products and services, including legal and educational services. The professional organization for educators said in a recent letter that it detected suspicious activity on its network on Feb. 12 and launched an investigation with the help of a cybersecurity firm.

Association of Texas Professional Educators Data Breach

On February 12, 2024, ATPE detected abnormal activity on its network, which led to a comprehensive forensic investigation. The investigation concluded on March 20, 2024, and found evidence that some of ATPE's systems had been accessed by an unauthorized user. Based on this finding, ATPE reviewed the affected systems to identify the specific individuals and types of information that may have been compromised. The accessed information varied depending on when members joined:
  • For those who became members before May 15, 2021, the breach may have exposed names, addresses, dates of birth, Social Security numbers and medical records. Tax Identification Numbers could also possibly have been accessed if employers used them as identifiers.
  • For members who received payments from ATPE via ACH transactions, financial account information could also have been accessed.
ATPE said that while it has no evidence that anyone's information has been misused, it is notifying members "out of an abundance of caution and for purposes of full transparency."

Response to Breach Incident and Credit Offering

Since discovery of the breach, ATPE stated that it has taken several steps to secure its systems, including:
  • Disconnecting all access to its network.
  • Change of administrative credentials.
  • Installation of enhanced security safeguards on ATPE's environment and endpoints.
  • Restoration of ATPE's website in a Microsoft Azure hosted environment.
The organization said it will continue efforts to mitigate potential harm in the future. ATPE is providing affected members with free credit monitoring and identity protection services for one year through Cyberscout, a company specializing in fraud assistance. Members must enroll by Sept. 15, 2024. Details on how to activate the free services are included in the notification letters sent to members' homes. The association has also advised individuals to remain vigilant for possible incidents of identity theft and fraud, review account statements, and monitor credit reports for suspicious or unauthorized activity. ATPE said it sincerely regrets any concern or inconvenience caused by the incident but remains committed to safeguarding users' personal information. Law firm Federman & Sherwood has announced that it would conduct a separate investigation into the Association of Texas Professional Educators data breach. Media Disclaimer: This report is based on internal and external research obtained through various means. The information provided is for reference purposes only, and users bear full responsibility for their reliance on it. The Cyber Express assumes no liability for the accuracy or consequences of using this information.

EU Aims to Ban Math — ‘Chat Control 2.0’ Law is Paused but not Stopped

20 June 2024 at 12:43
“Oh, won’t somebody please think of the children?”

Ongoing European Union quest to break end-to-end encryption (E2EE) mysteriously disappears.

The post EU Aims to Ban Math — ‘Chat Control 2.0’ Law is Paused but not Stopped appeared first on Security Boulevard.

Cato Networks Launches SASE Platform for Partners

20 June 2024 at 11:16
SASE, network penetration F5

Cato Networks today launched a framework for IT services partners that promises to make it simple to integrate its secure access service edge (SASE) service with third-party services.

The post Cato Networks Launches SASE Platform for Partners appeared first on Security Boulevard.

Several Chinese APTs Have Been Targeting Telecommunications of Asian Country Since 2021

By: Alan J
20 June 2024 at 11:44

Chinese Espionage Campaign

Researchers have discovered that various threat actors groups associated with Chinese state-linked espionage have been conducting a sustained hacking campaign targeting telecommunications operators in an unnamed Asian country since at least 2021. The attackers relied on custom malware and tactics tied to several China-linked espionage groups, suggesting Chinese state sponsorship.

Malware Variants Used in Chinese Espionage Campaign

Researchers from Symantec observed the use of several custom malware linked to China-based threat actors, including:
  • Coolclient: A backdoor used by the Fireant group that logs keystrokes and communicates with command servers. The campaign utilized a version delivered via a trojanized VLC media player. It is linked to the Fireant group, also known as Mustang Panda or Earth Preta.
  • Quickheal: A backdoor associated with the Needleminer group, also known as RedFoxtrot or Nomad Panda. The variant used in the campaign was nearly identical to those documented in 2021. It communicated with a command server at swiftandfast[.]net.
  • Rainyday: A backdoor tied to the Firefly group, also known as Naikon. Multiple variants were deployed using trojanized executables to sideload malicious loaders and decrypt payloads. At least one loader variant matched those linked to Firefly in 2021.
The attackers also used a variety of tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs) to compromise targets. These included keylogging malware that were possibly custom-developed, and port scanning tools to identify vulnerable systems. They also employed credential theft through the dumping of registry hives and exploited the Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP). Additionally, they used a publicly available tool, Responder, to act as a Link-Local Multicast Name Resolution (LLMNR), NetBIOS Name Service (NBT-NS) and multicast DNS (mDNS) poisoner. Nearly all victims in the campaign were telecoms operators, along with a services company that caters to the telecoms sector and a university in a different country in Asia. The researchers suggested that the campaign may even date as far back as the year 2020.

Campaign Motives and Attribution

The custom malware exclusively used by Fireant, Needleminer and Firefly provides strong evidence that this campaign involves Chinese state-sponsored groups. Firefly has been linked to a Chinese military intelligence unit by the U.S.-China Commission. The level of coordination between the groups involved is unclear but possibilities include independent action, personnel/tool sharing, or active collaboration. The ultimate motives behind the hacking campaign remain uncertain. Potential objectives include intelligence gathering on the telecommunications sector, eavesdropping on voice and data communications, or developing disruptive capabilities against critical infrastructure. To protect against these threats, telecom operators and other organizations should ensure they have the latest protection updates and implement robust security measures to detect and block malicious files. The researchers shared several Indicators of compromise and file hashes to help defenders detect against the campaign. Media Disclaimer: This report is based on internal and external research obtained through various means. The information provided is for reference purposes only, and users bear full responsibility for their reliance on it. The Cyber Express assumes no liability for the accuracy or consequences of using this information.

Pentagon Cybersecurity, Workforce Woes Threaten Tech Rollout – Source: www.databreachtoday.com

pentagon-cybersecurity,-workforce-woes-threaten-tech-rollout-–-source:-wwwdatabreachtoday.com

Source: www.databreachtoday.com – Author: 1 Governance & Risk Management , Government , Industry Specific New Report Says DOD Is Lagging in Procuring New Tech Amid Cybersecurity Failures Chris Riotta (@chrisriotta) • June 19, 2024     A lack of cybersecurity and software talent is slowing down the development of advanced weapons, says the Government Accountability […]

La entrada Pentagon Cybersecurity, Workforce Woes Threaten Tech Rollout – Source: www.databreachtoday.com se publicó primero en CISO2CISO.COM & CYBER SECURITY GROUP.

Europe Union Tightens Cybersecurity Grip with NIS and DORA Regulations

European Union

The European Union has introduced two critical regulatory frameworks: the Network and Information Security (NIS) Directive and the Digital Operational Resilience Act (DORA). These measures aim to ensure that businesses of all sizes implement strong cybersecurity practices to protect sensitive information. However, industry experts suggest that the regulations’ full potential might only be realized with the involvement of third-party cybersecurity specialists.

The Growing Cyber Threat Landscape

As businesses increasingly depend on digital infrastructure to connect with clients, customize products, and enhance customer experiences, they simultaneously face heightened risks of cyberattacks. Cybercrime is projected to cost the global economy $9.5 trillion in 2024, escalating by 15% annually to reach $10.5 trillion by 2025, according to Cybersecurity Ventures. Even the most advanced cybersecurity systems can be compromised, as evidenced by a recent data breach of the United Kingdom’s Ministry of Defence payroll system, exposing the names and banking details of both current and former armed forces members.

European Union's Response: NIS and DORA

Recognizing the urgent need for stronger cybersecurity measures, the Europe Union has implemented the NIS Directive and DORA. These regulations aim to standardize and enhance cybersecurity practices across member states. NIS Directive: The NIS Directive focuses on establishing high-level, common cybersecurity best practices. It strengthens system security requirements, addresses supply chain vulnerabilities, streamlines reporting, and introduces stringent supervisory measures with potential sanctions for non-compliance. The directive was initiated in the fall of 2021 and formalized in May 2022, and businesses were given until October 2024 to comply with the new standards. DORA: DORA targets the financial sector, mandating periodic digital operational resilience testing and the implementation of management systems to monitor and report significant ICT-based incidents to relevant authorities. This regulation aims to ensure that financial entities like banks, insurance companies, and investment firms can maintain operational resilience during severe disruptions. The development of DORA involved three European Supervisory Authorities: the European Banking Authority (EBA), the European Insurance and Occupational Pensions Authority (EIOPA), and the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA). They established mandatory incident reporting requirements and encouraged cooperation and information sharing among financial entities and regulators to respond effectively to cybersecurity threats.

The Importance of Third-Party Assessments

Darren Humphries, Group CISO & CTO-Partner at Acora, emphasizes the need for continuous measurement of cybersecurity practices. “Risk management is moving away from art to science,” Humphries explains, highlighting the importance of metrics and documentation in meeting regulatory guidelines. He criticizes the effectiveness of self-attestation, noting that the Ministry of Defence breach partly occurred due to reliance on self-service attestation from suppliers. Instead, Humphries advocates for third-party cybersecurity specialists to evaluate and verify processes, minimizing the risk of oversight. The evolving threat landscape demands that corporations, especially those in the financial sector, become proactive in addressing potential security vulnerabilities. The new EU regulations push businesses in this direction, but they also need to leverage third-party expertise to thoroughly examine and fortify their cybersecurity frameworks. By doing so, they can better protect network transactions and comply with regulatory requirements, reducing the likelihood of cyber incidents.

Conclusion

The new EU regulations, NIS and DORA, represent a significant step forward in enhancing cybersecurity practices across Europe. However, to maximize their impact and truly safeguard against evolving cyber threats, businesses must incorporate third-party assessments and expertise. By doing so, they can ensure robust protection of sensitive information and compliance with regulatory standards, ultimately reducing their cybersecurity risks in an increasingly digital world.

ONNX Store Phishing Kit Leverages QR Codes To Target Financial Sector

By: Alan J
19 June 2024 at 20:34

ONNX Store Phishing Kit

Researchers have discovered a new phishing campaign that relies on a phishing-as-a-service platform called ONNX Store, available for purchase over Telegram. ONNX Store appears to be a rebranded version of an already existing phishing kit called Caffeine. The kits share infrastructure and are advertised on the same Telegram channels. The phishing campaign targets financial institutions with QR codes embedded in PDF attachments. When victims scan these codes with their phones, they are redirected to fake login pages designed to collect login credentials and two-factor authentication keys.

ONNX Store Enables Theft of Credentials in Real Time

[caption id="attachment_77987" align="alignnone" width="1179"]ONNX Store Phishing Kit 2 Source: blog.eclecticiq.com[/caption] ONNX Store offers a  variety of powerful phishing tools designed to support cybercriminals, including custom phishing pages, webmail servers, 2FA cookie stealers, and "fully undetectable" referral services that use trusted domains to direct victims to phishing landing pages. Researchers from EclecticIQ have noticed that threat actors using the ONNX Store phishing kit tend to distribute PDF files as attachments in phishing emails. Impersonating a reputable service, these documents contain a QR code that directs victims to malicious phishing landing pages. This tactic, known as "quishing," takes advantage of the lack of detection or prevention present on employee's personal mobile devices, which are usually left unprotected. The lack of protection on mobile devices also makes it challenging to monitor these threats. The phishing landing pages aim to steal sensitive credentials using the Adversary-in-The-Middle (AiTM) method, which allows for real-time capture and transmission of stolen data without the need for frequent HTTP requests. This makes the phishing operation more efficient and harder to detect. The ONNX Store Phishing Kit uses encrypted JavaScript code that decrypts itself upon page load and includes a basic anti-JavaScript debugger. This adds a layer of protection against phishing scanners and complicates detection. The decrypted JavaScript code then collects the victims' network metadata, including details such as browser name, IP address, and location. The decrypted JavaScript code is designed to steal 2FA tokens entered by the victims. This allows attackers to bypass typical 2FA protection and gain unauthorized access to the victim's account before it expires. Researchers identified similarities in domain registrant and SSL issuer across various infrastructures deployed by the ONNX Store phishing kit. These similarities indicated the use of bulletproof hosting services to host the campaign.

Researchers Believe ONNX Store is Rebranding of Caffeine Kit

Researchers have assessed that the ONNX Store phishing kit is likely a rebranding of the Caffeine phishing kit. This assessment is based on the significant overlaps in infrastructure and advertising on the same Telegram channels. This overlap includes the involvement of the Arabic-speaking threat actor MRxC0DER as the likely developer and maintainer behind the Caffeine kit. [caption id="attachment_77989" align="alignnone" width="1393"]ONNX Store Source: blog.eclecticiq.com[/caption] The rebranding of the platform appears to be focused on improving operational security for malicious actors. The ONNX Store service enables threat actors to control operations through Telegram bots with an additional support channel to assist clients rather than a single web server. This shift in infrastructure and management makes it more challenging to take down the platform's phishing domains. To further increase its resilience, ONNX Store uses Cloudflare services to delay the removal process of its phishing domains. This abuse of Cloudflare's CAPTCHA feature and IP proxy helps attackers avoid detection through the use of phishing web crawlers and URL sandboxes. This practice also hides the original host and makes it more difficult to take down phishing domains. Advertised with slogans like "Anything is allowed" and "Ignore all reports of abuse", these services are designed to support a wide range of illegal activities without the risk of being blocked, creating a safe haven for cybercriminals. Media Disclaimer: This report is based on internal and external research obtained through various means. The information provided is for reference purposes only, and users bear full responsibility for their reliance on it. The Cyber Express assumes no liability for the accuracy or consequences of using this information.

IRONSCALES Applies Generative AI to Phishing Simulation

19 June 2024 at 13:52
phishing, simulation, AI cybersecurity

IRONSCALES has made generally available a phishing simulation tool that makes use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) to enable cybersecurity teams to create as many as 2,000 simulations of a spear phishing attack in less than an hour.

The post IRONSCALES Applies Generative AI to Phishing Simulation appeared first on Security Boulevard.

Cybersecurity Worker Burnout Costing Businesses Big

19 June 2024 at 08:28
burnout, threats, stress, mental health, CISOs Zoom burnout

The constant vigilance required to protect against evolving threats, and the sheer volume of routine tasks that demand attention contribute significantly to burnout.

The post Cybersecurity Worker Burnout Costing Businesses Big appeared first on Security Boulevard.

ViLe: Two Men Plead Guilty For Hacking Into Law Enforcement Portal and Threatening Victim

By: Alan J
18 June 2024 at 19:47

Sagar Steven Singh Nicholas Ceraolo vile

Two Rhode Island men pleaded guilty to hacking into a confidential federal law enforcement database and using the sensitive information to threaten and extort a victim. Sagar Steven Singh, 20, and Nicholas Ceraolo, 26, were members of a hacking group called “ViLe” that collected victims’ personal data to harass, threaten or extort them in a practice known as “doxxing,” prosecutors said. Victims could pay to have their information removed from or kept off ViLe’s public website.

Breach and Abuse of Federal Law Enforcement Portal

According to the press release, on May 7, 2022, Singh used a stolen password belonging to a police officer to access a non-public, password-protected federal law enforcement portal. The portal, maintained by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), holds detailed records on narcotics and currency seizures as well as law enforcement intelligence reports with respective state and local agencies. [caption id="attachment_77700" align="alignnone" width="1954"] Source:archive.org[/caption] The next day, Singh told Ceraolo in an online chat that he shouldn’t have accessed the portal and was “no gov official.” Ceraolo then shared the stolen login credentials with others in the ViLe hacking group. Shortly after, Singh used the database to obtain personal information on an individual. He messaged the victim, referred to in court documents as Victim-1, threatening to harm their family if they did not provide login credentials to their Instagram accounts. To prove he had access to sensitive information, Singh included Victim-1’s Social Security number, driver’s license number and home address. He told Victim-1 that through the database portal, “i can request information on anyone in the US doesn’t matter who, nobody is safe.” Singh instructed Victim-1 to sell access to the Instagram accounts and give him the money. His messages implied he would use the information to harm Victim-1’s parents if demands were not met. [caption id="attachment_77699" align="alignnone" width="2186"]ViLe EPIC HACKING Source: dea.gov[/caption] While the court documents focus on the case of Victim-1, the duo also threatened other individuals whose information they had access to for financial gains. According to an earlier report from Vice, the portal that was used by the duo is the EPIC(El Paso Intelligence Center) Portal.

Guilty Pleas Over Actions

Singh and Ceraolo were charged in March 2023 with computer intrusion conspiracy and aggravated identity theft. Singh pleaded guilty to both counts on June 17, while Ceraolo had done so May 30, the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Eastern District of New York announced. U.S. Attorney Breon Peace condemned the men’s actions as “ViLe,” a reference to the hacking group’s disturbing logo depicting a hanging girl. He stated, “They hacked into a law enforcement database and had access to sensitive personal information, then threatened to harm a victim’s family and publicly release that information unless the defendants were ultimately paid money. Our Office is relentless in protecting victims from having their sensitive information stolen and used to extort them by cybercriminals.” He thanked the HSI's El Dorado Task Force, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the New York Police Department for assistance in the case. HSI New York Special Agent in Charge Ivan J. Arvelo stated, “The defendants, along with their co-conspirators, exploited vulnerabilities within government databases for their own personal gain. These guilty pleas send a strong message to those that would seek illicit access to protected computer systems." He added, "HSI New York's El Dorado Task Force will continue to work with law enforcement partners to uncover evidence until every member of the ViLe group and similar criminal organizations are brought to justice.” The defendants face two to seven years in federal prison upon sentencing for the case in charges related to conspiring to commit computer intrusion and aggravated identify theft. Media Disclaimer: This report is based on internal and external research obtained through various means. The information provided is for reference purposes only, and users bear full responsibility for their reliance on it. The Cyber Express assumes no liability for the accuracy or consequences of using this information.

Cybercriminals Target Trump Supporters with Donation Scams

18 June 2024 at 17:47
Trump donation scam

Donald Trump’s presidential campaign is known for aggressively trying to raise money, even sending emails to donors hoping to cash in on setbacks like his conviction late last month on 34 felony counts for illegally influencing the 2016 campaign. Bad actors now are trying to do the same, running donation scams by impersonating the campaign..

The post Cybercriminals Target Trump Supporters with Donation Scams appeared first on Security Boulevard.

Is Open Source File Integrity Monitoring Too Risky?

18 June 2024 at 10:30

IT pros understand that not all open-source products are created equal. Some of the most beloved tools for business and personal computing, including Firefox, WordPress, and Apache, are the result of successful, long-term open-source (OS) projects. However, when it comes to protecting your organization against information security threats, how do available OS options objectively stack up?

The post Is Open Source File Integrity Monitoring Too Risky? appeared first on Security Boulevard.

Threat Actors Use Obscure or Self-Made Link Shortener Services for Credential Harvesting

18 June 2024 at 10:11

An illustration of a door with a shortened link on it leading to a red lit room.

Threat Actors Use Obscure or Self-Made Link Shortener Services for Credential Harvesting Earlier this month our expert takedown team responded to a bad actor that used link shortener services to obfuscate a link to a phishing page that impersonated one of our financial institution customers. The destination was a sign-in webpage presenting malicious content including […]

The post Threat Actors Use Obscure or Self-Made Link Shortener Services for Credential Harvesting first appeared on alluresecurity.

The post Threat Actors Use Obscure or Self-Made Link Shortener Services for Credential Harvesting appeared first on Security Boulevard.

Feeding the Phishes

18 June 2024 at 09:21

PHISHING SCHOOL

Bypassing Phishing Link Filters

You could have a solid pretext that slips right by your target secure email gateway (SEG); however, if your link looks too sketchy (or, you know, “smells phishy”), your phish could go belly-up before it even gets a bite. That’s why I tend to think of link filters as their own separate control. Let’s talk briefly about how these link filters work and then explore some ways we might be able to bypass them.

What the Filter? (WTF)

Over the past few years, I’ve noticed a growing interest in detecting phishing based on the links themselves–or, at least, there are several very popular SEGs that place a very high weight on the presence of a link in an email. I’ve seen so much of this that I have made this type of detection one of my first troubleshooting steps when a SEG blocks me. I’ll simply remove all links from an email and check if the message content gets through.

In at least one case, I encountered a SEG that blocked ANY email that contained a link to ANY unrecognized domain, no matter what the wording or subject line said. In this case, I believe my client was curating a list of allowed domains and instructed the SEG to block everything else. It’s an extreme measure, but I think it is a very valid concern. Emails with links are inherently riskier than emails that do not contain links; therefore, most modern SEGs will increase the SPAM score of any message that contains a link and often will apply additional scrutiny to the links themselves.

How Link Filters Work — Finding the Links

If a SEG filters links in an email, it will first need to detect/parse each link in the content. To do this, almost any experienced software engineer will directly go to using Regular Expressions (“regex” for short):

Stand back! I know regular expressions

To which, any other experienced software engineer will be quick to remind us that while regex is extremely powerful, it is also easy to screw up:

99 problems (and regex is one)

As an example, here are just a few of the top regex filters I found for parsing links on stackoverflow:

(http|ftp|https):\/\/([\w_-]+(?:(?:\.[\w_-]+)+))([\w.,@?^=%&:\/~+#-]*[\w@?^=%&\/~+#-])

(?:(?:https?|ftp|file):\/\/|www\.|ftp\.)(?:\([-A-Z0–9+&@#\/%=~_|$?!:,.]*\)|[-A-Z0–9+&@#\/%=~_|$?!:,.])*(?:\([-A-Z0–9+&@#\/%=~_|$?!:,.]*\)|[A-Z0–9+&@#\/%=~_|$])

(?:(?:https?|ftp):\/\/)?[\w/\-?=%.]+\.[\w/\-&?=%.]+

([\w+]+\:\/\/)?([\w\d-]+\.)*[\w-]+[\.\:]\w+([\/\?\=\&\#\.]?[\w-]+)*\/?

(?i)\b((?:[a-z][\w-]+:(?:/{1,3}|[a-z0–9%])|www\d{0,3}[.]|[a-z0–9.\-]+[.][a-z]{2,4}/)(?:[^\s()<>]+|\(([^\s()<>]+|(\([^\s()<>]+\)))*\))+(?:\(([^\s()<>]+|(\([^\s()<>]+\)))*\)|[^\s`!()\[\]{};:’”.,<>?«»“”‘’]))

Don’t worry if you don’t know what any of these mean. I consider myself to be well versed in regex and even I have no opinion on which of these options would be better than the others. However, there are a couple things I would like to note from these examples:

  1. There is no “right” answer; URLs can be very complex
  2. Most (but not all) are looking for strings that start with “http” or something similar

These are also some of the most popular (think “smart people”) answers to this problem of parsing links. I could also imagine that some software engineers would take a more naive approach of searching for all anchor (“<a>”) HTML tags or looking for “href=” to indicate the start of a link. No matter which solution the software engineer chooses, there are likely going to be at least some valid URLs that their parser doesn’t catch and might leave room for a categorical bypass. We might also be able to evade parsers if we can avoid the common indicators like “http” or break up our link into multiple sections.

Side Note: Did you see that some of these popular URL parsers account for FTP and some don’t? Did you know that most browsers can connect to FTP shares? Have you ever tried to deliver a phishing payload over an anonymous FTP link?

How Link Filters Work — Filtering the Links

Once a SEG has parsed out all the links in an email, how should it determine which ones look legitimate and which ones don’t? Most SEGs these days look at two major factors for each link:

  1. The reputation of the domain
  2. How the link “looks”

Checking the domain reputation is pretty straightforward; you just split the link to see what’s between the first two forward slashes (“//”) and the next forward slash (“/”) and look up the resulting domain or subdomain on Virustotal or similar. Many SEGs will share intelligence on known bad domains with other security products and vice versa. If your domain has been flagged as malicious, the SEG will either block the email or remove the link.

As far as checking how the link “looks”, most SEGs these days use artificial intelligence or machine learning (i.e., AI/ML) to categorize links as malicious or benign. These AI models have been trained on a large volume of known-bad links and can detect themes and patterns commonly used by SPAM authors. As phishers, I think it’s important for us to focus on the “known-bad” part of that statement.

I’ve seen one researcher’s talk who claimed their AI model was able to detect over 98% of malicious links from their training data. At first glance, this seems like a very impressive number; however, we need to keep in mind that in order to have a training set of malicious links in the first place, humans had to detect 100% of the training set as malicious. Therefore, the AI model was only 98% as good as a human at detecting phishing links solely on the “look” of the link. I would imagine that it would do much worse on a set of unknown-bad links, if there was a way to hypothetically attain such a set. To slip through the cracks, we should aim to put our links in that unknown-bad category.

Even though we are up against AI models, I like to remind myself that these models can only be trained on human-curated data and therefore can only theoretically approach the competence of a human, but not surpass humans at this task. If we can make our links look convincing enough for a human, the AI should not give us any trouble.

Bypassing Link Filters

Given what we now know about how link filters work, we should have two main tactics available to us for bypassing the filter:

  1. Format our link so that it slips through the link parsing phase
  2. Make our link “look” more legitimate

If the parser doesn’t register our link as a link, then it can’t apply any additional scrutiny to the location. If we can make our link location look like some legitimate link, then even if we can’t bypass the parser, we might get the green light anyway. Please note that these approaches are not mutually exclusive and you might have greater success mixing techniques.

Bypassing the Parser

Don’t use an anchor tag

One of the most basic parser bypasses I have found for some SEGs is to simply leave the link URL in plaintext by removing the hyperlink in Outlook. Normally, link URLs are placed in the “hypertext reference” (href) attribute of an HTML anchor tag (<a>). As I mentioned earlier, one naive but surprisingly common solution for parsing links is to use an HTML parsing library like BeautifulSoup in Python. For example:

soup = BeautifulSoup(email.content, 'html.parser')
links = soup.find_all("a") # Find all elements with the tag <a>
for link in links:
print("Link:", link.get("href"), "Text:", link.string)

Any SEG that uses this approach to parse links won’t see a URL outside of an anchor tag. While a URL that is not a clickable link might look a little odd to the end user, it’s generally worth the tradeoff when this bypass works. In many cases, mail clients will parse and display URLs as hyperlinks even if they are not in an anchor tag; therefore, there is usually little to no downside of using this technique.

Use a Base Tag (a.k.a BaseStriker Attack)

One interesting method of bypassing some link filters is to use a little-known HTML tag called “base”. This tag allows you to set the base domain for any links that use relative references (i.e., links with hrefs that start with “/something” instead of direct references like “https://example.com/something”). In this case, the “https://example.com” would be considered the “base” of the URL. By defining the base using the HTML base tag in the header of the HTML content, you can then use just relative references in the body of the message. While HTML headers frequently contain URLs for things like CSS or XML schemas, the header is usually not expected to contain anything malicious and may be overlooked by a link parser. This technique is known as the “BaseStriker” attack and has been known to work against some very popular SEGs:

https://www.cyberdefensemagazine.com/basestriker-attack-technique-allow-to-bypass-microsoft-office-365-anti-phishing-filter/

The reason why this technique works is because you essentially break your link into two pieces: the domain is in the HTML headers, and the rest of the URL is in your anchor tags in the body. Because the hrefs for the anchor tags don’t start with “https://” they aren’t detected as links.

Scheming Little Bypasses

The first part of a URL, before the colon and forward slashes, is what’s known as the “scheme”:

URI = scheme ":" ["//" authority] path ["?" query] ["#" fragment]

As mentioned earlier, some of the more robust ways to detect URLs is by looking for anything that looks like a scheme (e.g. “http://”, or “https://”), followed by a sequence of characters that would be allowed in a URL. If we simply leave off the scheme, many link parsers will not be able to detect our URL, but it will still look like a URL to a human:

accounts.goooogle.com/login?id=34567

A human might easily be convinced to simply copy and paste this link into their browser for us. In addition, there are quite a few legitimate schemes that could open a program on our target user’s system and potentially slip through a URL parser that is only looking for web links:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_URI_schemes

There are at least a few that could be very useful as phishing links ;)

QR Phishing

What if there isn’t a link in the email at all? What if it’s an image instead? You can use a tool like SquarePhish to automate phishing with QR codes instead of traditional links:

GitHub - secureworks/squarephish

I haven’t played with this yet, but have heard good things from friends that have used similar techniques. If you want to play with automating this attack yourself, NodeJS has a simple library for generating QRs:

qrcode

Bypassing the Filter

Don’t Mask

(Hold on. I need to get on my soapbox…) I can’t count how many times I’ve been blocked because of a masked link only to find that unmasking the link would get the same pretext through. I think this is because spammers have thoroughly abused this feature of anchor tags in the past and average email users seldom use masked links. Link filters tend to see masked links as far more dangerous than regular links; therefore, just use a regular link. It seems like everyone these days knows how to hover a link and check its real location anyway, so masked links are even bad at tricking humans now. Don’t be cliche. Don’t use masked links.

Use Categorized Domains

Many link filters block or remove links to domains that are either uncategorized, categorized as malicious, or were recently registered. Therefore, it’s generally a good idea to use domains that have been parked long enough to be categorized. We’ve already touched on this in “One Phish Two Phish, Red Teams Spew Phish”, so I’ll skip the process of getting a good domain; however, just know that the same rules apply here.

Use “Legitimate” Domains

If you don’t want to go through all the trouble of maintaining categorized domains for phishing links, there are some generally trustworthy domains you can leverage instead. One example I recently saw “in-the-wild” was a spammer using a sites.google.com link. They just hosted their phishing page on Google! I thought this was brilliant because I would expect most link filters to allow Google, and even most end users would think anything on google.com must be legit. Some other similar examples would be hosting your phishing sites as static pages on GitHub, in an S3 bucket, other common content delivery networks (CDNs), or on SharePoint, etc. There are tons of seemingly “legitimate” sites that allow users to host pages of arbitrary HTML content.

Arbitrary Redirects

Along the same lines as hosting your phishing site on a trusted domain is using trusted domains to redirect to your phishing site. One classic example of this would be link shorteners like TinyURL. While TinyURL has been abused for SPAM to the point that I would expect most SEGs to block TinyURL links, it does demonstrate the usefulness of arbitrary redirects.

A more useful form of arbitrary redirect for bypassing link filters are URLs with either cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities that allow us to specify a ‘window.location’ change or URLs that take an HTTP GET parameter specifying where the page should redirect to. As part of my reconnaissance phase, I like to spend at least a few minutes on the main website of my target to look for these types of vulnerabilities. These vulnerabilities are surprisingly common and while an arbitrary redirect might be considered a low-risk finding on a web application penetration test report, they can be extremely useful when combined with phishing. Your links will point to a URL on your target organization’s main website. It is extremely unlikely that a link filter or even a human will see the danger. In some cases, you may find that your target organization has configured an explicit allow list in the SEG for links that point to their domains.

Link to an Attachment

Did you know that links in an email can also point to an email attachment? Instead of providing a URL in the href of your anchor tag, you can specify the content identifier (CID) of the attachment (e.g. href=“cid:mycontentidentifier@content.net”). One way I have used this trick to bypass link filters is to link to an HTML attachment and use obfuscated JavaScript to redirect the user to the phishing site. Because our href does not look like a URL, most SEGs will think our link is benign. You could also link to a PDF, DOCX, or several other usually allowed file types that then contain the real phishing link. This might require a little more setup in your pretext to instruct the user, or just hope that they will click the link after opening the document. In this case, I think it makes the most sense to add any additional instructions inside the document where the contents are less likely to be scrutinized by the SEG’s content filter.

Pick Up The Phone

This blog rounds out our “message inbound” controls that we have to bypass for social engineering pretexts. It would not be complete without mentioning one of the simplest bypasses of them all:

Not using email!

If you pick up the phone and talk directly to your target, your pretext travels from your mouth, through the phone, then directly into their ear, and hits their brain without ever passing through a content or reputation filter.

Along the same lines, Zoom calls, Teams chats, LinkedIn messaging, and just about any other common business communication channel will likely be subject to far fewer controls than email. I’ve trained quite a few red teamers who prefer phone calls over emails because it greatly simplifies their workflow. Just a few awkward calls is usually all it takes to cede access to a target environment.

More interactive forms of communication, like phone calls, also allow you to gauge how the target is feeling about your pretext in real time. It’s usually obvious within seconds whether someone believes you and wants to help or if they think you’re full of it and it’s time to cut your losses, hang up the phone, and try someone else. You can also use phone calls as a way to prime a target for a follow-up email to add perceived legitimacy. Getting our message to the user is half the battle, and social engineering phone calls can be a powerful shortcut.

In Summary

If you need to bypass a link filter, either:

  1. Make your link look like it’s not a link
  2. Make your link look like a “legitimate” link

People still use links in emails all the time. You just need to blend in with the “real” ones and you can trick the filter. If you are really in a pinch, just call your targets instead. It feels more personal, but it gets the job done quickly.


Feeding the Phishes was originally published in Posts By SpecterOps Team Members on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

The post Feeding the Phishes appeared first on Security Boulevard.

Enhancing Vulnerability Management: Integrating Autonomous Penetration Testing

17 June 2024 at 11:53

Traditional vulnerability scanning tools are enhanced with NodeZero's autonomous penetration testing, revolutionizing Vulnerability Management by providing comprehensive risk assessment, exploitability analysis, and cross-host vulnerability chaining, empowering organizations to prioritize and mitigate security weaknesses strategically.

The post Enhancing Vulnerability Management: Integrating Autonomous Penetration Testing appeared first on Horizon3.ai.

The post Enhancing Vulnerability Management: Integrating Autonomous Penetration Testing appeared first on Security Boulevard.

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