CyberSecurity Updates

Cyber threat intelligence: Getting on the front foot against adversaries

Business Security By collecting, analyzing and contextualizing information about possible cyberthreats, including the most advanced ones, threat intelligence offers a critical method to identify, assess and mitigate cyber risk Phil Muncaster 10 Nov 2023  •  , 4 min. read When it comes to mitigating an organization’s cyber risk, knowledge and expertise are power. That alone should make cyber threat intelligence (TI) a key priority for any organization. Unfortunately, this often isn’t the case. Among the…

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Spyware disguised as a news app – Week in security with Tony Anscombe

The Urdu version of the Hunza News website offers readers the option to download an Android app – little do they know that the app is actually spyware 10 Nov 2023 This week, ESET researchers have described the ins and outs of a so-called watering-hole attack against a news website that delivers news about Gilgit-Baltistan, which is part of the disputed Kashmir region administered by Pakistan. When opened on a mobile device, the Urdu version…

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Cavelo Raises CA$5 Million for Attack Surface Management Platform

Canadian attack surface management firm Cavelo has raised CA$5 million (approximately US$3.6 million) in a seed funding round that brings the total raised by the company to CA$6.3 million (roughly US$4.5 million). The new investment round was led by Inovia Capital, with participation from Graphite Ventures and other existing investors. Founded in 2020, the Waterloo-based cybersecurity startup provides organizations with the necessary means to scan their environments for data that might be at risk in…

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In Other News: EU Government Surveillance, Rewards for Iranian Hackers, Evolution of Chinese Spying

SecurityWeek is publishing a weekly cybersecurity roundup that provides a concise compilation of noteworthy stories that might have slipped under the radar. We provide a valuable summary of stories that may not warrant an entire article, but are nonetheless important for a comprehensive understanding of the cybersecurity landscape. Each week, we will curate and present a collection of noteworthy developments, ranging from the latest vulnerability discoveries and emerging attack techniques to significant policy changes and…

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Unlucky Kamran: Android malware spying on Urdu-speaking residents of Gilgit-Baltistan

ESET researchers have identified what appears to be a watering-hole attack on a regional news website that delivers news about Gilgit-Baltistan, a disputed region administered by Pakistan. When opened on a mobile device, the Urdu version of the Hunza News website offers readers the possibility to download the Hunza News Android app directly from the website, but the app has malicious espionage capabilities. We named this previously unknown spyware Kamran because of its package name…

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Intel Sued Over ‘Downfall’ CPU Vulnerability 

A class action lawsuit has been filed against Intel over its handling of speculative execution vulnerabilities found in its CPUs, particularly the recently disclosed attack method named Downfall.  A 112-page class action complaint was filed this week by plaintiffs represented by Bathaee Dunne. News of a Bathaee Dunne-led lawsuit against Intel over the Downfall vulnerability emerged in late August, when the law firm announced that it was preparing to file a complaint. The plaintiffs say…

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‘BlazeStealer’ Malware Delivered to Python Developers Looking for Obfuscation Tools

Malicious Python packages posing as obfuscators have been targeting developers with malware that takes control over the infected systems, application security firm Checkmarx warns. Featuring names that start with ‘pyobf’ and masquerading as tools typically used by developers, the malicious packages deploy a payload dubbed ‘BlazeStealer’, to control the victim’s system and spy on them. BlazeStealer, Checkmarx has discovered, fetches a malicious script to enable a Discord bot and provide the attackers with control over…

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CISA, NSA, and Partners Release New Guidance on Securing the Software Supply Chain

Today, CISA, the National Security Agency (NSA), and partners released Securing the Software Supply Chain: Recommended Practices for Software Bill of Materials Consumption. Developed through the Enduring Security Framework (ESF), this guidance provides software developers and suppliers with industry best practices and principles, including managing open source software and software bills of materials (SBOM), to maintain and provide awareness about the security of software. Organizations can use this guide to assess and measure their security…

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FBI Highlights Emerging Initial Access Methods Used by Ransomware Groups 

The FBI has released a fresh warning on ransomware operators compromising third-party vendors and services to abuse them for initial access to victim environments. Threat actors have been observed exploiting vulnerabilities in vendor-controlled remote access to servers and abusing legitimate system management tools to elevate permissions in victim organizations’ networks, the Bureau says. “The FBI continues to track reporting of third-party vendors and services as an attack vector for ransomware incidents,” the agency notes in…

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Navigating the security and privacy challenges of large language models

Business Security Organizations that intend to tap the potential of LLMs must also be able to manage the risks that could otherwise erode the technology’s business value Phil Muncaster 06 Nov 2023  •  , 5 min. read Everyone’s talking about ChatGPT, Bard and generative AI as such. But after the hype inevitably comes the reality check. While business and IT leaders alike are abuzz with the disruptive potential of the technology in areas like customer…

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