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Date: 9/6/2022
According to research by Group-IB, the threat actor group dubbed “Oktapus” launched a multi-pronged attack against at least 136 Software-As-A-Service (SAAS) organizations.
This attack resulted in the compromise of more than 9,931 credentials, 5441 of which captured MFA codes. Group-IB’s research suggests that the Oktapus group derived its target list from an initial compromise of “mobile operators and telecommunications companies .”The phishing campaign described by Group-IB was launched by sending text messages to victims.
The “Oktapus” name was given because the group successfully targeted Okta MFA customers.
The victims of this credential compromise included “companies providing IT, software development, and cloud services .”The possibility of this threat actor group leveraging these compromises to launch supply-chain attacks is concerning and speaks to the need for increased vigilance for organizations in all market sectors.
Train users to never trust unsolicited text messages, especially those containing links.
Businesses should closely monitor their environment and act on any detected anomalies; this careful monitoring may make the difference in detecting supply-chain attacks.
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A new campaign targeting QNAP devices has been discovered as threat actors exploit a vulnerability in Photo Station to encrypt NAS devices with Deadbolt ransomware. This variant has been observed through 2022, targeting vulnerable QNAP devices accessible from the Internet.
This vulnerability, which has been detailed in security advisory QSA-22-24, allows threat actors to encrypt all data stored on QNAP devices from an unauthenticated perspective. The lateral movement to other systems has not been widely observed but remains a possibility.
QNAP is urging administrators to update Photo Station to the latest available version. Furthermore, those that leverage Photo Station should consider alternatives such as QuMagie. QNAP NAS devices should also not be directly accessible from the Internet.
Performing external vulnerability assessments to identify vulnerabilities on public-facing systems is strongly recommended to ensure a.) that public access to unnecessary services and ports is removed and b.) to reduce your potential attack surface overall.
Sources
https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/qnap-patches-zero-day-used-in-new-deadbolt-ransomware-attacks/
https://www.qnap.com/en/security-news/2022/take-immediate-action-to-update-photo-station-to-the-latest-available-version
https://www.qnap.com/en-us/security-advisory/qsa-22-24
The HHS Health Sector Cybersecurity Coordination Center (HC3) alerted Healthcare organizations regarding the active exploitation of two zero-day vulnerabilities (CVE-2022-32893 and CVE-2022-32894) in Apple devices. Because Apple iOS devices are gaining popularity in healthcare environments, it is recommended that affected devices be updated as soon as possible.
Exploiting these vulnerabilities could allow an attacker remote code execution and kernel-level privileges. Attackers would then access data stored on those devices, including PHI, credentials, Internet history, and other potentially sensitive data.
Affected devices include:
It is strongly recommended that these devices be updated as soon as possible.
Sources
https://www.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/apple-fixes-two-zero-day-exploits.pdf
Check Point Research (CPR), and turkey-based security firm Nitrokod has produced reports depicting a new campaign for crypto miner malware disguising itself as free software applications. These applications are disguised as desktop applications for common services that do not currently offer official desktop apps. These can include YouTube Music, Yandex Translate, Google Translate, Microsoft Translate, and more, according to Cyware News.
The primary malicious logic embedded in these applications is crypto mining logic that will dominate the CPU and RAM performance for those devices upon which it is installed. The software will continue to conduct crypto mining activities until uninstalled.
CPR also reports that some applications quietly contain delay mechanisms to malicious embedded logic to conduct long, hidden crypto mining operations. Nitrokod has attributed over 111,000 compromised victims in 11 countries since 2019.
Organizations can protect themselves from malicious software like crypto miners by deploying advanced Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) security controls. These controls should be up-to-date on patches and logic to detect crypto mining software and react accordingly. Organizations should also monitor and prevent the installation of unauthorized software on corporate devices and encourage users to avoid risky software on personal devices.
Sources
https://thehackernews.com/2022/08/nitrokod-crypto-miner-infected-over.html?&web_view=true
https://research.checkpoint.com/2022/check-point-research-detects-crypto-miner-malware-disguised-as-google-translate-desktop-and-other-legitimate-applications/
https://cyware.com/news/nitrokod-crypto-miner-disguises-as-free-software-apps-26ab030a
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Over the course of the last 22 years, Dan has been committed to advancing the state of cybersecurity and has played an instrumental role in the identification and development of critical, next-generation cyber capabilities. He has held positions in almost every facet of cybersecurity, beginning as a computer forensic examiner and progressing through the management and executive leadership ranks. In addition to co-founding AIS, Dan has facilitated multiple cybersecurity startups, raised investment capital and has served in various lead and support roles toward the acquisition of five companies in the last eight years.
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Bilingual in English and Italian, Francesca holds a bachelor’s degree in Management and Technology from the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute’s Lally School of Management & Technology. She was awarded Cybersecurity Recruiter of the year North America in 2017 by the Cybersecurity Excellence Awards.
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Prior to joining GreyCastle Security, Jamie has held leadership positions with Annese and Associates, ConvergeOne and BlueSky IT Partners with a focus on delivering cost effective information technology solutions for companies across multiple verticals.
Jamie holds a bachelor’s degree in Political Science from Le Moyne College in Syracuse, New York, a master’s degree in Business Administration from Gardner-Webb University in Boiling Springs, North Carolina and a master’s degree in Computer Information Systems from University of Phoenix in Phoenix, Arizona.
