Cybersecurity researchers have uncovered a novel malware campaign that leverages Google Sheets as a command-and-control (C2) mechanism. The activity, detected by Proofpoint starting August 5, 2024, impersonates tax authorities from governments in Europe, Asia, and the U.S., with the goal of targeting over 70 organizations worldwide by means of a bespoke tool called Voldemort that’s…
Aug 30, 2024Ravie LakshmananCryptojacking / Vulnerability Threat actors are actively exploiting a now-patched, critical security flaw impacting the Atlassian Confluence Data Center and Confluence Server to conduct illicit cryptocurrency mining on susceptible instances. “The attacks involve threat actors that employ methods such as the deployment of shell scripts and XMRig miners, targeting of SSH endpoints,…
Aug 30, 2024Ravie LakshmananCyber Threat / Cyber Espionage Cybersecurity researchers have unearthed new network infrastructure set up by Iranian threat actors to support activities linked to the recent targeting of U.S. political campaigns. Recorded Future’s Insikt Group has linked the infrastructure to a threat it tracks as GreenCharlie, an Iran-nexus cyber threat group that overlaps…
Aug 30, 2024Ravie LakshmananMalware / Network Security Cybersecurity researchers have disclosed a new campaign that potentially targets users in the Middle East through malware that disguises itself as Palo Alto Networks GlobalProtect virtual private network (VPN) tool. “The malware can execute remote PowerShell commands, download and exfiltrate files, encrypt communications, and bypass sandbox solutions, representing…
The most dangerous vulnerability you’ve never heard of. In the world of cybersecurity, vulnerabilities are discovered so often, and at such a high rate, that it can be very difficult to keep up with. Some vulnerabilities will start ringing alarm bells within your security tooling, while others are far more nuanced, but still pose an…
Aug 30, 2024Ravie LakshmananCyber Espionage / Threat Intelligence Chinese-speaking users are the target of a “highly organized and sophisticated attack” campaign that is likely leveraging phishing emails to infect Windows systems with Cobalt Strike payloads. “The attackers managed to move laterally, establish persistence and remain undetected within the systems for more than two weeks,” Securonix…
Aug 30, 2024The Hacker NewsICS Security / OT Security A comprehensive guide authored by Dean Parsons emphasizes the growing need for specialized ICS security measures in the face of rising cyber threats. With a staggering 50% increase in ransomware attacks targeting industrial control systems (ICS) in 2023, the SANS Institute is taking decisive action by…
Aug 30, 2024Ravie LakshmananCryptocurrency / Malware Threat actors with ties to North Korea have been observed publishing a set of malicious packages to the npm registry, indicating “coordinated and relentless” efforts to target developers with malware and steal cryptocurrency assets. The latest wave, which was observed between August 12 and 27, 2024, involved packages named…
Aug 29, 2024Ravie LakshmananBrowser Security / Vulnerability Cybersecurity researchers have flagged multiple in-the-wild exploit campaigns that leveraged now-patched flaws in Apple Safari and Google Chrome browsers to infect mobile users with information-stealing malware. “These campaigns delivered n-day exploits for which patches were available, but would still be effective against unpatched devices,” Google Threat Analysis Group…
Aug 29, 2024Ravie LakshmananCyber Espionage / Malware A non-profit supporting Vietnamese human rights has been the target of a multi-year campaign designed to deliver a variety of malware on compromised hosts. Cybersecurity company Huntress attributed the activity to a threat cluster known as APT32, a Vietnamese-aligned hacking crew that’s also known as APT-C-00, Canvas Cyclone…