Exploitation of Codespaces. Blank-image attacks. Social engineering trend. ICS vulnerabilities. Combined cyber arms.

Summary

By the CyberWire staff

At a glance.

Codespaces accounts can act as malware servers.
Blank-image attacks.
Campaigns leveraging HR policy themes.
Travel-themed phishing increases.
An overview of 2H 2022 ICS vulnerabilities.
Ukraine warns that Russian cyberattacks continue.

Codespaces accounts can act as malware servers.

Researchers at Trend Micro have found that GitHub Codespaces, a cloud-based IDE that was released in November 2022, can be abused to create a trusted malware file server. The issue lies in Codespaces' ability to share forwarded ports publicly, which allows developers to preview their projects as an end user:

“We investigated the services offered by this cloud IDE and found that one of its features for code development and collaboration – sharing forwarded ports publicly – can be abused by malicious actors to create a malware file server using a legitimate GitHub account. In the process, these abused environments will not be flagged as malicious or suspicious even as it serves malicious content (such as scripts, malware, and ransomware, among others), and organizations may consider these events as benign or false positives.”

The researchers explain that “attackers can easily abuse GitHub Codespaces in serving malicious content at a rapid rate by exposing ports publicly on their codespace environments.” Trend Micro also notes that they haven’t seen this technique used in the wild. For more on Codespaces abuse, see CyberWire Pro.

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Blank-image attacks.

Avanan, a Check Point Software company, released a blog this morning detailing a new attack in which hackers hide malicious content inside a blank image within an HTML attachment in phishing emails claiming to be from DocuSign. The campaign begins with an email appearing to originate from DocuSign, containing a link and an HTML attachment. The phishing email requests the review and signature of a document claiming to be “remittance advice.” If clicked, the “View Completed Document” button links to a clean, legitimate webpage, but the attachment, however, is not. If the document is opened, the blank image attack begins. The attachment includes an SVG image encoded with Base64 containing Javascript that redirects to the malicious link. Hiding the malware within the empty image attachment hides the true intent of the message, and contains a legitimate link, allowing for the email to bypass link analysis and security scanners. For more on blank-image attacks, see CyberWire Pro.

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Campaigns leveraging HR policy themes.

Abnormal Security released research this morning on phishing attacks purporting to be from internal HR departments with policy updates in the new year. The first attack, a payload-based credential phishing attack, claims to be from the victim’s company Human Resources department informing them of updates to benefits packages. The email asks for the review of an “updated handbook,” which would lead to a credential harvesting login page imitating Microsoft. The other observed link-based attack presented itself as an internal HR email, announcing a new employee handbook containing a link directing to a credential harvesting page. For more on HR-themed phishing, see CyberWire Pro.

Travel-themed phishing increases.

Bitdefender has published a report looking at the prevalence of travel-themed phishing scams. The researchers found that 60% of all travel-themed emails sent between December 20th and January 10th were phishing attacks. Most of the attacks observed by Bitdefender targeted English-speaking users: “Particularly, spammers pushed their travel-themed lures on English-speaking recipients, with 53% of the correspondence targeting US inboxes. The US is followed by Ireland (10%), India (6%), the UK and South Africa (5% each), and Germany (4%).” For more on this form of social engineering, see CyberWire Pro.

An overview of 2H 2022 ICS vulnerabilities.

SynSaber has published a report looking at industrial control system (ICS) vulnerabilities catalogued by the US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) in the second half of 2022. The researchers found that 35% of vulnerabilities disclosed in 2H 2022 don’t currently have a patch available, and 33% will require a firmware update. Additionally, 43% of vulnerabilities were discovered by security researchers rather than the equipment manufacturers. The researchers also note that 22% of the vulnerabilities “require local or physical access to the system in order to exploit (up from 23% during the first half of the year).” For more on recent ICS vulnerabilities, see CyberWire Pro.

Ukraine warns that Russian cyberattacks continue.

The Guardian reports that Viktor Zhora, of Ukraine’s State Service of Special Communication and Information Protection (SSSCIP), is visiting Britain's GCHQ this week, and has said that Russian cyberattacks have tripled over the past year, and continue at a high rate. Interestingly, he said that “in some cases, cyber-attacks supportive to kinetic effects” have been seen; that is, Ukraine sees signs that Russia is attempting to integrate cyber operations and information operations with missile strikes and action on the ground.

Mr. Zhora's remarks are consistent with a report his agency issued earlier this week, "Cyber Attacks, Artillery, Propaganda. General Overview of the Dimensions of Russian Aggression." The report stresses signs that Russian attempts at coordinated operations have increased, that Russian targeting has been not just indiscriminate, but directed against civilians, and that Russian cyber operations can amount to war crimes. The cyberattacks have generally been parried by Ukrainian defenses, but they remain an enduring threat. The report ends with a call for more international cooperation against cyberattacks, whether by Russia or other "authoritarian regimes," and notes the value of considering those states' military doctrine in forecasting their probable courses of action in cyberspace. It calls for international recognition of the ways in which cyber operations can constitute either crimes against peace or war crimes, and it urges an expansion and tightening of economic sanctions against Russia.

The CyberWire's continuing coverage of the unfolding crisis in Ukraine may be found here.

Notes.

Today's issue includes events affecting the European Union, France, Germany, Israel, Morocco, the Netherlands, Poland, Russia, Ukraine, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

Dateline Moscow and Kyiv: Cyber in combined arms.

Ukraine at D+329: Disinformation and cyber in combined arms. (CyberWire) Mr. Lavrov is unclear on European history.

Russia-Ukraine war: List of key events, day 330 (Al Jazeera) As the Russia-Ukraine war enters its 330th day, we take a look at the main developments.

'Unspeakable pain' as Ukrainian ministerial team is wiped out in helicopter crash (The Telegraph) President's words sum up painful day as Kyiv investigates possible foul play after Denys Monastyrsky is among 14 killed

Russia is planning a major offensive. Here’s what that might look like. (The Hill) After facing a string of setbacks nearly a year into its war on Ukraine, Russia is planning another major offensive to make up for its losses on the ground and justify its heavy human cost at home.…

U.S. prepping major military package for Ukraine (POLITICO) Friday’s announcement is expected to include Stryker vehicles, but not tanks.

The West doubles down on aiding Ukraine with heavy weapons (Defense News) Plans to send yet heavier equipment designed to win maneuver battles are expected to come to a head.

Pentagon asks U.S. Forces Korea to provide equipment for Ukraine (Reuters) The U.S. Department of Defense has asked its forces stationed in South Korea to provide equipment to help Ukraine in the war against Russia, the U.S. military said on Thursday, adding the move has "zero impact" on its operations in the Asian country.

U.S. defense chief in Berlin for talks as Germany stalls on tank deliveries (Washington Post) Boris Pistorius was sworn in as Germany's defense chief before meeting with U.S. counterpart Lloyd Austin, who is pushing Berlin to shift its stance on weapons for Ukraine.

Opinion: New defense minister's chance with arms for Ukraine (Deutsche Welle) Germany has been struggling with the issue of arms shipments to Ukraine. In some cases, allies even doubted Berlin's support. Saying "yes" to Leopard 2 tank shipments could dispel doubt, says DW's Roman Goncharenko.

Boris Johnson urges west to ignore Putin threats and give Ukraine tanks (the Guardian) Former PM calls for heavy weapons supplies and brands Russian nuclear threats as ‘nonsense’ in Davos appearance

Democracy defenders and Rambo wannabes: Ukraine’s volunteer foreign fighters (Washington Post) A 30-year-old former British military captain faced a personal crossroads several months before Russia invaded Ukraine, as he contemplated a desk job at a security firm and a future spent discussing trifles with his sisters and mother in their hometown in southeastern England.

Russia's Lavrov compares West's approach to Russia with Hitler's 'Final Solution' (Reuters) Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov drew a sharp rebuke from the White House on Wednesday for saying the United States had assembled a coalition of European countries to solve "the Russian question" in the same way that Adolf Hitler had sought a "final solution" to eradicate Europe's Jews.

Putin is now profiting from new Western splits (The Telegraph) While Nato allies squabble over tanks, the Russian president is rebuilding his international alliances

Russian Ruble Gyrates as Western Sanctions Squeeze Moscow’s Energy Exports (Wall Street Journal) The currency began to slide recently after the U.S. and the EU put in place new limits on oil sales.

The Sanctions on Russia Are Working (Foreign Affairs) Slowly but surely, sanctions are weakening Putin.

The Greatest Nuclear Threat We Face Is a Russian Victory (The Atlantic) Putin’s blackmail is dangerous; its success would be even worse.

Russia-Ukraine war influenced hacktivists use more destructive tactics (SC Media) Nozomi Networks reported that wiper malware, IoT botnet activity, and the Russia-Ukraine war significantly influenced the threat landscape last year.

Cyber-attacks have tripled in past year, says Ukraine’s cybersecurity agency (the Guardian) UK security minister Tom Tugendhat warns of ‘persistent threat’ of Russian attacks on country’s infrastructure

Ukraine: Russians Aim to Destroy Information Infrastructure (Gov Info Security) Ukraine's top information protection agency says Russian cyberattacks are focusing on destruction of critical information infrastructure, spying and disinformation.

Ukraine says Russia is coordinating missile strikes, cyberattacks and information operations (The Record by Recorded Future) Researchers associated with the Ukrainian government on Tuesday confirmed that Russia has coordinated kinetic strikes and cyberattacks to inflict damage on government offices, public service organizations, media companies and communication centers.

Polish Cyber Defenses and the Russia-Ukraine War (Council on Foreign Relations) Poland has been a frequent target of Russian cyberattacks since the start of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The government needs to prepare for any escalation in cyberspace by protecting important log…

Ukraine cyber defenders in UK for high-level talks (NCSC) Members of the national Computer Emergency Response Team for Ukraine (CERT-UA) held bilateral talks to discuss the conflict and resilience building.

Red-faced Russian propagandists accidentally reveal rebuilt Mariupol homes are marred with problems (The Telegraph) Promotional film inadvertently shows new apartments replacing bomb-damaged properties have leaks and dropped ceilings

Russia 'liquidates' deserting soldier (Telegraph) A Russian deserter who fled from his military base was killed, the authorities said on Wednesday, as Vladimir Putin prepares for a new wave of mobilisation, writes Joe Barnes.

Attacks, Threats, and Vulnerabilities

Friday the 13th on the Dark Web: $150 Million Russian Drug Market Solaris Hacked by Rival Market Kraken (Elliptic Connect) Solaris – one of the leading dark web drug markets trading $150 million in value and 25% of illicit market share – has been taken over by a rival market named Kraken.

Russia-linked drug marketplace Solaris hacked by its rival (The Record from Recorded Future News) Solaris, one of the leading darknet drug marketplaces, has been taken over by its rival, according to research released this week.

Albanian PM: Country under daily cyberattacks (Euractiv) Albania is still experiencing daily cyber attacks following a serious attack from Iran in 2022, Prime Minister Edi Rama said at the World Economic Forum in Davos on Tuesday.

Following the LNK metadata trail (Cisco Talos Blog) While tracking some prevalent commodity malware threat actors, Talos observed the popularization of malicious LNK files as their initial access method to download and execute payloads. A closer look at the LNK files illustrates how their metadata could be used to identify and track new campaigns.

Vendors Actively Bypass Security Patch for Year-Old Magento Vulnerability (SecurityWeek) Adobe’s February 2022 patch for a critical mail template vulnerability in Adobe Commerce and Magento stores is being actively bypassed by vendors for compatibility purposes.

Abusing a GitHub Codespaces Feature For Malware Delivery (Trend Micro) Proof of Concept (POC): We investigate one of the GitHub Codespaces’ real-time code development and collaboration features that attackers can abuse for cloud-based trusted malware delivery. Once exploited, malicious actors can abuse legitimate GitHub accounts to create a malware file server.

IcedID and Infostealers Spread Through Adverts Mimicking Popular Tools (HP Wolf Security) Don’t let cyber threats get the best of you. Read our post, IcedID and Infostealers Spread Through Adverts Mimicking Popular Tools, to learn more about cyber threats and cyber security.

Royal Mail Export Chaos Has Businesses Fuming After Cyber Attack (Bloomberg) Small businesses say orders at risk, customers losing patience. Cyberattack impact comes on the heels of strike disruptions.

Royal Mail restarts limited overseas post after cyber-attack (BBC News) Customers should still not post any new parcels overseas, the firm said, following last week's cyber-attack.

Royal Mail outage: CEO confirms cyberattack (Computing) Royal Mail CEO Simon Thompson has confirmed the ongoing disruption at the postal giant, which is still stopping people from sending packages overseas, is the result of a cyberattack.

Ransomware Attack on DNV Ship Management Software Impacts 1,000 Vessels (SecurityWeek) Norway‎-based industrial risk management and assurance firm DNV said a recent ransomware attack on its ship management software impacted 1,000 vessels.

Cyber Attack Hits 1,000 Merchant Ships as Norway Firm Targeted (Bloomberg) A cyberattack on a Norwegian shipping services firm ensnared about 70 companies and 1,000 ships.

MailChimp discloses new breach after employees got hacked (BleepingComputer) Email marketing firm MailChimp suffered another breach after hackers accessed an internal customer support and account administration tool, allowing the threat actors to access the data of 133 customers.

Over 100 Mailchimp accounts compromised in social engineering hack (CyberSecurity Connect) It’s probably a truism that if you’ve been hacked before, you’ll be hacked again eventually, which is something that email marketing company Mailchimp is finding out. This week the company announced that 133 Mailchimp accounts had been compromised.

Collection of voice data for profit raises privacy fears (ABC News) Voice data holds more intimate information than users realize, advocates said.

Security Patches, Mitigations, and Software Updates

Mozilla Releases Security Updates for Firefox (CISA) Mozilla has released security updates to address vulnerabilities in Firefox ESR and Firefox. An attacker could exploit some of these vulnerabilities to take control of an affected system. CISA encourages users and administrators to review Mozilla’s security advisories for Firefox ESR 102.7 and Firefox 109 for more information and apply the necessary updates.

Trends

How hackers outwit all efforts to stop them: "It's a cyber pandemic." (Newsweek) Hackers, armed with high-tech tools and flush with funds, are quietly ruining people's livelihoods, reputations and businesses. The cyber police are outmatched.

Online Fraud Attacks Have Become More Sophisticated, More Costly and More Democratic, a New Report on Retail Crime Finds (Business Wire) Online fraud attacks have become more sophisticated, more costly and more democratic, a new Signifyd report on retail crime finds

Ecommerce fraud statistics & trends report: State of Fraud 2023 (Signifyd) Stay ahead of new ecommerce fraud trends to uplevel your retail strategy, protect your business and optimize revenue.

Ransomware Report: Q4 2022 (Reliaquest) The ransomware environment is constantly changing. In this blog, we summarize the Q4 2022 activities of working ransomware groups.

Addressing Cloud Data Security in the Multi-Cloud Era (Eureka Security) Stay ahead of the curve on data protection by addressing cloud data security in the multi-cloud era. Download Eureka Security and YL Ventures 2022 Cloud Data Security report now.

New Coalfire Report Reveals CISOs Rising Influence (PR Newswire) In partnership with the world-class Dark Reading research team, global cybersecurity pioneer Coalfire today unveiled its second annual State of...

The State of CISO Influence 2023 (Coalfire) Coalfire and Dark Reading analyze new findings and year-over-year shifts in the responsibilities, operational realities, strategic thinking, and influence of security leaders. Read the report.

API Security & Secrets Management Survey Report - 2023 (Corsha) We surveyed more than 400 professionals to learn about their API secrets management practices and found that the evolving digital ecosystem presents a new set of challenges. Most importantly of all, we discovered that “good” secrets management doesn’t necessarily mean “secure” secrets management.

Introducing the Top 5 Penetration Test Findings of 2022 Report (Lares) Lares has analyzed the similarities between hundreds of penetration tests in 2022. Here is what we found.

'A casino in your pocket': Is crypto trading just gambling? (American Banker) Financial services regulators should treat cryptocurrency trading for what it is — another form of wagering, some experts say. But banks seeking to provide custody and many other services tied to digital assets would face even tighter restrictions under that approach.

Marketplace

Abacus Group buys cybersecurity consulting companies (Finextra Research) Abacus Group, the leading provider of hosted IT services and solutions to alternative investment firms, today announces that it has acquired two boutique cybersecurity consulting companies, Gotham Security and its parent company, GoVanguard, both of which have unparalleled track records of excellence in the cyber arena.

RSA Security explores $2 bln-plus sale of Archer -sources (Reuters) RSA Security LLC, the former cyber security division of Dell Technologies Inc , is exploring a sale of its risk and compliance software unit Archer for more than $2 billion, according to people familiar with the matter.

Forter Acquires Immue to Enhance Bot Detection Capabilities in Wake of Rampant Attacks (Business Wire) Forter, the Trust Platform for digital commerce, today announced the acquisition of Immue, a bot detection company based in Tel Aviv, Israel. Forter’s

Cloudian Closes $60M Funding Round, Aims To Grow Hybrid Cloud Storage (CRN) Cloudian plans to use the new $60 million in funding to accelerate growth in certain use cases, particularly data analytics and building hybrid clouds.

Cloud IAM recovery firm raises $5M to tighten identity access management (VentureBeat) AccSense, a continuous access and continuity platform for Okta, ssays cloud identity access management (IAM) needs better data resilience.

AccSense raises $5M for its Okta data protection platform (SiliconANGLE) Startup AccSense has raised $5 million in funding to expand the adoption of its namesake software platform, which helps companies protect their Okta environments from cyberattacks.

Sophos Cuts Jobs to Focus on Cybersecurity Services (Dark Reading) Layoffs intended to cut costs, help company shift its focus on cybersecurity services, Sophos says.

Sophos to lay off 450 employees globally (TechCrunch) About 10% of the company's global workforce — or about 450 employees — will be laid off, the company said.

Sophos Cites Downturn, MDR Shift In Disclosing Major Layoffs | CRN (CRN) Sophos disclosed that it has enacted layoffs of 10 percent of its global workforce.

Palantir CEO tells tech workers who don't like the company's military deals, ‘Don’t work here’ (CNBC) At the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, on Wednesday, Palantir CEO Alex Karp said, "We are not everyone's cup of tea."

Walmart's ongoing cyber security investment (CNBC) CNBC's Frank Holland joins 'The Exchange' to discuss Walmart's investment in automation and cybersecurity, the development of Walmart's data security center and growing trends towards digital payments.

Meta Pressures Average-Rated Employees to Up Their Game (The Information) At Meta Platforms, meeting expectations no longer meets expectations. Company leaders have told some managers that employees who receive a “meets all expectations” grade in their performance review have to up their game, said a current manager. In the past, employees receiving such a grade were ...

Crypto Lender Genesis Is Preparing to File for Bankruptcy Within Days (Wall Street Journal) Genesis has suffered steep losses from loans it extended to failed crypto firms Alameda Research and Three Arrows Capital.

WatchGuard Names Simon Yeo Senior Vice President of Operations (WatchGuard Technologies) Industry veteran and former Barracuda executive to lead company’s IT systems and infrastructure, security, and cloud operations

Contrast Security Hires Andrew Vallila as its New CRO (Contrast Security) Successful sales executive will leverage extensive background in cybersecurity revenue to lead sales and expand growth.

Rubrik surpasses $500m in subscription ARR; appoints former Palo Alto Networks chairman, CEO Mark McLaughlin to board of directors (ITWeb) The company also appointed former Palo Alto Networks chairman and CEO Mark McLaughlin to its board of directors.

PlexTrac Adds Cybersecurity Powerhouse to Board of Directors (Yahoo Finance) Stuart (Stu) Solomon Brings a Wealth of Knowledge and Experience to Aid in PlexTrac's Rapid Growth PlexTrac Logo PlexTrac Logo BOISE, Idaho, Jan. 18, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- PlexTrac, the penetration test reporting and collaboration platform making security teams more efficient and effective, today announced that cybersecurity industry leader Stuart (Stu) Solomon has joined the Board of Directors. Solomon brings nearly 20 years of industry experience to the Series B funded startup. Stu Solomon

Products, Services, and Solutions

API Leak Management Early Release (Wallarm) Wallarm API Leak Management provides comprehensive protection against hacks involving API Keys and other API secrets.

Leaseweb Strengthens Portfolio to Drive Global Growth in Hybrid Cloud (Leaseweb) Leaseweb Doubles Down on Industry-Specific Cloud Solutions to Help AdTech, MarTech, Gaming, FinTech, and SaaS Customers Accelerate Their Hybrid Cloud Deployments

Styra Accelerates Secure Infrastructure Deployments with Expansive Authorization Policy Toolset (Business Wire) Styra DAS is accelerating secure, compliant cloud-native infrastructure deployments by introducing the industry's broadest policy library and toolset.

RKVST launches new public attestation service for supply chain operations (Business Wire) RKVST, the evidence management platform for trustworthy supply chain operations, announces its public attestation feature, adding a new level of trust

Xage Announces Middle East Expansion, Bringing Zero Trust Cybersecurity to the Global Energy Hub (PR Newswire) Xage Security, the zero trust real-world cybersecurity company, today unveiled its expansion to secure and transform critical infrastructure...

Versa Networks Earns Frost & Sullivan’s 2022 SASE Global Enabling Technology Leadership Award for its Industry-Leading SASE Solution (Business Wire) Versa Networks, the recognized leader of single-vendor Secure Access Service Edge (SASE), today announced it has earned the 2022 SASE Global Enabling

Aware Partners with World Wide Technology to Accelerate New Revenue for Service Providers (PR Newswire) Aware, a leader in collaboration intelligence, security, and employee sentiment analysis, today announced a partnership with World Wide...

DoControl Announces SaaS Security Platform Expansion with Shadow Apps Module Launch (PR Newswire) DoControl, the automated Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) security company, today announced a platform expansion with the launch of its...

Veriff Awarded G-Cloud 13 Status by UK Government (PR Newswire) Veriff, a global identity verification provider, today announced it has officially joined the G-Cloud 13 Digital Marketplace. The Crown...

Aqua Security Named Best Cloud Native Security Solution (GlobeNewswire News Room) Techstrong Recognizes the Aqua Platform for Its CNAPP Innovation and Market Leadership...

Immuta Releases Immuta Detect for Continuous Security Monitoring (Business Wire) Immuta, a data security leader, today announced the release of its latest product, Immuta Detect. With its continuous data security monitoring capabil

Kintent® Transforms Security Reviews with World's First Product to Combine AI-Powered Security Questionnaire Responses with a Trust Portal (PR Newswire) Kintent®, the programmatic, predictive Trust Assurance platform, today announced the release of the new TrustShare™ application. TrustShare...

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Joins a Growing Number of Federal Agencies Using Axonius to Solve Cybersecurity Asset Management Challenges (GlobeNewswire News Room) With executive orders mandating improved cybersecurity posture for federal agencies, Axonius gives CMS and others the asset visibility they need to comply...

Technologies, Techniques, and Standards

Avast Releases Free Decryptor for BianLian Ransomware (HackRead) Using this decryptor, BianLian victims can retrieve their encrypted data for free and avoid paying the ransom to the attackers.

Maryland ANG first to certify cyber protection team on live network (Air Force) Maryland ANG's 275th Cyberspace Operations Squadron became the first cyber operators in the ANG to certify a Cyber Protection Team using their weapon system on a live base network during real-world

A ransomware negotiator shares 3 tips for victim organizations (Cybersecurity Dive) This is no time for knee-jerk reactions. “Take a deep breath and slow things down,” said Drew Schmitt, principal threat intelligence analyst at GuidePoint Security.

DIA CIO sees intel community moving beyond ‘stovepipe’ IT model (Federal News Network) The Defense Intelligence Agency is spearheading a shared IT services program called “Company Storefront.”

Design and Innovation

Vaultree awarded grant by European Innovation Council (EIC) (Vaultree) Following a highly selective evaluation process, the data-in-use encryption company was chosen as one of a select cohort of 78 out of 1,092 European innovators.

Satya Nadella Says AI Golden Age Is Here and ‘It’s Good for Humanity’ (World Economic Forum) The world is entering a golden age of artificial intelligence underpinned by recent breakthroughs such as GPT models

ChatGPT Sounds Exactly Like Us. How Is That a Good Thing? (Washington Post) In 1950, Alan Turing, the British computer scientist who cracked the Enigma code during World War II, wrote an article in which he posed a seemingly absurd question: “Can machines think?”

Research and Development

QuSecure Achieves Critical Breakthrough in Post-Quantum Encryption Over Public Internet – Closes Loop for End-to-End Quantum-Safe Data Security (Business Wire) QuSecure™, Inc., a leader in post-quantum cybersecurity (PQC), today launched QuEverywhere™, its most recent breakthrough in quantum-safe cryptography

Legislation, Policy, and Regulation

Experts at Davos 2023 sound the alarm on cybersecurity (World Economic Forum) As economic and geopolitical instability spills over into the new year, experts are predicting that 2023 will be a consequential year for cybersecurity.

France plots surveillance power grab for Paris 2024 Olympics (POLITICO) Security services want smart camera technology. Critics fear it’ll turn the country into surveillance state.

Australia to consider European-style right to be forgotten privacy laws (the Guardian) Attorney general promises ‘whole range’ of modernisations of the Privacy Act to follow new customer data protection laws

The Draft Digital Personal Data Protection Bill 2022: Recommendations to the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (ORF) On 1 December 2022, the Observer Research Foundation hosted a roundtable discussion on the Digital Personal Data Protection Bill, 2022. The discussions elicited feedback from stakeholders representing platforms, startups, civil society, consultancies, and academia on three themes:

Meta Fines Expose EU Regulators’ Differences and Highlight Fundamental Issues for Data Controllers (JD Supra) Meta Ireland (Meta) has recently been issued with two fines by the Irish Data Protection Commission (DPC) for breaches of the EU General Data...

How the Netherlands Is Taming Big Tech (New York Times) Dutch privacy negotiators have spurred major changes at Google, Microsoft and Zoom, using a landmark European data protection law as a lever.

European Parliament votes to take action against loot boxes, gaming addiction, gold farming and more (GamesIndustry.biz) The European Parliament voted today to adopt a report calling for the European Commission to address several issues in …

Israel and Morocco bolster cybersecurity and intel ties (JNS.org) The two countries also agreed to expand cooperation in air defense and electronic warfare, the Royal Moroccan Armed Forces said.

An Approach to Striking Back in Cyberspace (The Cipher Brief) Book Review: Reviewing author Lucas Kello's book Striking Back: The End of Peace in Cyberspace and How to Restore It

HHS Issues Cybersecurity Guidance for Healthcare Organizations (Lexology) Cyberattacks continue to rise across industries, and healthcare is no different. Eighty percent of U.S. physicians reported having experienced some form of cyberattack.

FCC Chair Keys on 5G Security Concerns (Meritalk) Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel warned in a Jan. 17 speech that the deployment of fifth-generation (5G) wireless communications networks involves big security and privacy challenges.

USCYBERCOM takes step towards acquisition autonomy (Intelligence Online) The US Cyber Command is accelerating its path towards increased acquisition and procurement powers with the launch of its first Program Executive Office. This marks its first real step towards a

CISA’s chief of technology strategy stepping down ‘much earlier’ than expected (FCW) Cyber expert Daniel Bardenstein said he was leaving his post at the nation’s cyber defense agency for “a unique opportunity.”

CISA hires Navy cyber expert to help oversee vulnerability management (FCW) The cybersecurity agency selected U.S. Fleet Cyber Command veteran Sandy Radesky to serve as its associate director of vulnerability management Wednesday.

Litigation, Investigation, and Law Enforcement

Founder and Majority Owner of Bitzlato, a Cryptocurrency Exchange, Charged with Unlicensed Money Transmitting (US Attorney for the Eastern District of New York) A complaint was unsealed this morning in federal court in Brooklyn charging Anatoly Legkodymov, a Russian national and senior executive of Bitzlato Ltd. (Bitzlato), a Hong Kong-registered cryptocurrency exchange, with conducting a money transmitting business that transported and transmitted illicit funds and that failed to meet U.S. regulatory safeguards, including anti-money laundering requirements.

FinCEN Identifies Virtual Currency Exchange Bitzlato as a “Primary Money Laundering Concern” in Connection with Russian Illicit Finance (FinCEN) Action is the First Order Issued under Powerful New “Section 9714” Authority

Law enforcement takes down crypto exchange allegedly used to launder $15 million in ransomware payments (The Record from Recorded Future News) The Russian co-founder of a cryptocurrency exchange allegedly used to launder cybercrime proceeds was arrested early Wednesday morning in Miami, the Department of Justice announced.

U.S. arrests Bitzlato cofounder, alleges $700 mln of illicit funds processed (Reuters) Anatoly Legkodymov, a Russian national living in China, was arrested in Miami on Tuesday.

In crypto exchange crackdown, U.S. government debuts two tools (Washington Post) The Biden administration debuted a new power yesterday for fighting Russian cybercrime and rolled out the first major public move of a new government team devoted to battling illicit use of cryptocurrency.

WSJ News Exclusive | Little-Known Surveillance Program Captures Money Transfers Between U.S. and More Than 20 Countries (Wall Street Journal) Law-enforcement agencies across the U.S. have direct access to over 150 million transactions housed at an Arizona-based nonprofit.

Industry Events

For a complete running list of events, please visit the Event Tracker.

Newly Noted Events

3rd Annual Nunn School Symposium: Lessons from Russia’s War in Ukraine for the West (Atlanta, Georgia, USA, Feb 28, 2023) This half-day program explores what lessons the West should draw a year after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. It will consider both what can be learned about warfighting and about the broader role of statecraft. While what has happened and what might happen are clearly relevant, the focus will be on what lessons can be drawn from what has happened thus far.

SecureWorld Charlotte (Charlotte, North Carolina, USA, Mar 2, 2023) Join your regional cybersecurity community for high-quality, affordable training and collaboration. Earn 6-12 CPE credits through 15+ educational elements learning from local and nationally recognized industry leaders. Attend featured keynotes, panel discussions, breakout sessions, and solution vendor displays—all while networking with peers in InfoSec.

SecureWorld Boston (Boston, Massachussetts, USA, Mar 22 - 23, 2023) Join your regional cybersecurity community for high-quality, affordable training and collaboration. Earn 12-18 CPE credits through 30+ educational elements learning from local and nationally recognized industry leaders. Attend featured keynotes, panel discussions, breakout sessions, and solution vendor displays—all while networking with peers in InfoSec.

SecureWorld Healthcare Virtual Conference (Virtual, Apr 12, 2023) Join with cybersecurity professionals for training and information sharing through an interactive online experience. Earn 5 CPE credits learning from nationally recognized industry leaders. The agenda offers 15+ educational presentations, including panel discussions, breakout sessions, and keynotes. Connect with your peers in the Networking Lounge, enter to win prizes, and see demos and resources from top solution vendors in the Exhibitor Hall.

SecureWorld Philadelphia (King of Prussia, Pennsylvania, USA, Apr 19 - 20, 2023) Join your regional cybersecurity community for high-quality, affordable training and collaboration. Earn 12-18 CPE credits through 30+ educational elements learning from local and nationally recognized industry leaders. Attend featured keynotes, panel discussions, breakout sessions, and solution vendor displays—all while networking with peers in InfoSec.

SecureWorld Kansas City (Kansas City, Kansas, USA, May 3, 2023) Join your regional cybersecurity community for high-quality, affordable training and collaboration. Earn 6-12 CPE credits through 15+ educational elements learning from local and nationally recognized industry leaders. Attend featured keynotes, panel discussions, breakout sessions, and solution vendor displays—all while networking with peers in InfoSec.

SecureWorld Financial Services Virtual Conference (Virtual, May 17, 2023) Join with cybersecurity professionals for training and information sharing through an interactive online experience. Earn 5 CPE credits learning from nationally recognized industry leaders. The agenda offers 15+ educational presentations, including panel discussions, breakout sessions, and keynotes. Connect with your peers in the Networking Lounge, enter to win prizes, and see demos and resources from top solution vendors in the Exhibitor Hall.

SecureWorld Houston (Houston, Texas, USA, May 18, 2023) Join your regional cybersecurity community for high-quality, affordable training and collaboration. Earn 6-12 CPE credits through 15+ educational elements learning from local and nationally recognized industry leaders. Attend featured keynotes, panel discussions, breakout sessions, and solution vendor displays—all while networking with peers in InfoSec.

SecureWorld Atlanta (Atlanta, Georgia, USA, May 24, 2023) Join your regional cybersecurity community for high-quality, affordable training and collaboration. Earn 6-12 CPE credits through 15+ educational elements learning from local and nationally recognized industry leaders. Attend featured keynotes, panel discussions, breakout sessions, and solution vendor displays—all while networking with peers in InfoSec.

SecureWorld Chicago (Rosemont, Illinois, USA, Jun 8, 2023) Join your regional cybersecurity community for high-quality, affordable training and collaboration. Earn 6-12 CPE credits through 15+ educational elements learning from local and nationally recognized industry leaders. Attend featured keynotes, panel discussions, breakout sessions, and solution vendor displays—all while networking with peers in InfoSec.

SecureWorld Eastern Virtual Conference (Virtual, Jun 14, 2023) Join with cybersecurity professionals for training and information sharing through an interactive online experience. Earn 5 CPE credits learning from nationally recognized industry leaders. The agenda offers 15+ educational presentations, including panel discussions, breakout sessions, and keynotes. Connect with your peers in the Networking Lounge, enter to win prizes, and see demos and resources from top solution vendors in the Exhibitor Hall.

SecureWorld Government Virtual Conference (Virtual, Jun 21, 2023) Join with cybersecurity professionals for training and information sharing through an interactive online experience. Earn 5 CPE credits learning from nationally recognized industry leaders. The agenda offers 15+ educational presentations, including panel discussions, breakout sessions, and keynotes. Connect with your peers in the Networking Lounge, enter to win prizes, and see demos and resources from top solution vendors in the Exhibitor Hall.

Global Cybersecurity Competition and Conference (IC3) (San Diego, California, USA, Jul 31 - Aug 4, 2023) The United States will host the 2023 International Cybersecurity Championship and Conference (IC3). This global event will be held July 31-August 4, 2023 in San Diego, California, and will be organized by PlayCyber®. Combining the International Cybersecurity Challenge (ICC) with an industry conference and hands-on expo, this inaugural event will bring together business, education, and government, and showcase top cybersecurity talent worldwide.

SecureWorld Manufacturing Virtual Conference (Virtual, Aug 23, 2023) Join with cybersecurity professionals for training and information sharing through an interactive online experience. Earn 5 CPE credits learning from nationally recognized industry leaders. The agenda offers 15+ educational presentations, including panel discussions, breakout sessions, and keynotes. Connect with your peers in the Networking Lounge, enter to win prizes, and see demos and resources from top solution vendors in the Exhibitor Hall.

Events

Insider Threat Program Development - Management Training Course (Laurel, Maryland, USA, Jan 30 - 31, 2023) The training course will be taught at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, in Laurel, Maryland. This highly sought after and very comprehensive 2 day training course will ensure the Insider Threat Program (ITP) Manager/ Senior Official (Insider Threat Analyst, FSO, CSO, CISO, Etc.), and others who support the ITP (Human Resources, IT, Network Security, Etc.), have the Core Knowledge, Blueprint, Resources needed for developing, managing, enhancing an ITP / ITP Working Group. Our student satisfaction levels are in the exceptional range. Over 900+ individuals have attended this training course and received ITP Manager Certificates.

CybertechGlobal Tel Aviv (Tel Aviv, Israel, Jan 30 - Feb 1, 2023) Cyber is all around us—it is one of the most trending topics in the tech and business arenas. It is a whole-encompassing industry that is not only about threats, but also covers the scope of digitalization and opportunities in the realm of innovation. From Tel Aviv and Rome, to Tokyo, Singapore, Panama, and more, Cybertech is the cyber industry’s foremost B2B networking platform conducting industry-related events all around the globe. Our conferences and exhibitions serve as the go-to place to make business happen and learn all about the latest technological innovations, challenges, and solutions to combating threats within the global cyber arena. Cybertech events feature top executives, government officials, leading decision-makers from a wide range of sectors including critical infrastructure, insurance, retail, health and government, defense, R&D, manufacturing, automotive, and more! Multinational corporations, startups, private and corporate investors, venture capital firms, experts, and clients—come and meet all the key players from the cyber industry and be immersed in everything there is to offer. Cyber. We live it. Breathe it. All at the forefront of global innovation.

Certified CMMC Professional (CCP) 2.0 Exam Prep (Virtual, Feb 6 - 10, 2023) This 5-day CCP course covers the foundational required curriculum along with CMMC Level 2 scoping and the full 110 practices. Edwards Cyber AB approved CCP 2.0 courses enable participants to sit for the CCP exam – making you a valuable resource to a consultancy providing CMMC preparation, C3PAO providing certified assessor support, or organization interested in having in-house CMMC trained resources. Edwards all-star lineup of Provisional Instructors (PIs) includes several of the CMMC industry’s most respected consultants along with Edwards’ internal SMEs to deliver their action packed bootcamps. Learn more and register now.

Chicago Cybersecurity Conference (Chicago, and virtual, Illinois, USA, Feb 8, 2023) FutureCon Events brings high-level Cyber Security Training discovering cutting-edge security approaches, managing risk in the ever-changing threat of the cybersecurity workforce. Join us as we talk with a panel of C-level executives who have effectively mitigated the risk of Cyber Attacks. Educating C-suite executives and CISOs (chief information security officers) on the global cybercrime epidemic, and how to build Cyber Resilient organizations. Gain the latest knowledge you need to enable applications while keeping your computing environment secure from advanced Cyber Threats. Demo the newest technology, and interact with the world’s security leaders and gain other pressing topics of interest to the information security community. The FutureCon community will keep you updated on the future of the Cyberworld and allow you to interact with your peers and the world’s security leaders.

Tech Days (Barcleona (and virtual), Spain, Feb 13 - 15, 2023) The PKI and cryptography landscape is in a state of constant evolution. Emergence of post-quantum cryptography, new PKI and IoT use cases, and rapid growth of machine identities are all serious challenges. At Tech Days 2023, we say “Game On.”

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