Cyber Attacks, Threats, and Vulnerabilities
Hundreds of Millions of Email Accounts Hacked and Traded Online, Says Expert (NBS News) Hundreds of millions of hacked user names and passwords for email accounts and other websites are being traded in Russia's criminal underworld, a security expert told Reuters
Reuters: Security expert finds over 270M stolen credentials for sale (CIO Dive) The stolen cache included almost 57 million Mail.ru account and "tens of millions" of credentials for Google, Yahoo and Microsoft email users
Hacked password collection isn't as bad as it sounds (Wired) The trading of millions of email addresses from Google, Yahoo, and Microsoft accounts may not be as bad as it first sounds
Cyber Experts: Change Passwords After Massive Hack (NBC News) Cybersecurity professionals warn that anyone with a personal email account might want to change their passwords following revelations of a massive cache of stolen user names and passwords being offered for sale on the Internet
New Jaku Botnet Already Has 19,000 Zombies, Ideal for Spam and DDoS Attacks (Techworm) Security researchers from Forcepoint, a global leader in authorizing organisations to drive business forward through transformative security technologies, say that a new botnet has slowly grown and developed to hold over 19,000 zombies all over the world, but mainly in Asian countries
Jaku: Analysis of a Botnet Campaign (Forcepoint) JAKU is the name given to the investigation, surveillance and analysis, by the Forcepoint Special Investigations team, of an on-going botnet campaign
Crooks Go Deep With ‘Deep Insert’ Skimmers (KrebsOnSecurity) ATM maker NCR Corp. says it is seeing a rapid rise in reports of what it calls “deep insert skimmers,” wafer-thin fraud devices made to be hidden inside of the card acceptance slot on a cash machine
Android banking malware may start using adware tricks (Help Net Security) Android banking and credential-stealing malware with screen overlay capabilities is on the rise, but for it to be effective, it must detect when banking, email, social media apps are opened, identify them, and show the appropriate pop up intended to harvest sensitive data
Footprinting and Brute-Force Attacks Remain Prevalent (IBM Security Intelligence) Sophisticated cyberattacks grab the headlines these days. But with attention focused on advanced persistent threats and mutating malware, it’s easy to overlook older attacks that are still successful. To keep awareness up, the IBM X-Force threat research team has a new report on old favorites: “Beware of Older Cyber Attacks"
Ransomware continues to plague hospitals (Trend Micro: Simply Security) In February, the Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center became victim to one of the most memorable cyber attacks to date
How did AVG Web TuneUp expose user data? (TechTarget) The AVG Web TuneUp browser extension, advertised as a way to control user privacy, exposed Chrome users' personal data. Expert Michael Cobb explains how this happened
QNB Confirms Leak, Downplays Damage (InfoRisk Today) Important information security questions remain unanswered
BEC Hack Scams Company Of $495,000 (Dark Reading) Fake mail sent to investment firm employee asking for transfer of funds
Charles Schwab data breach exposed client investment data (SC Magazine) Charles Schwab informed some of its customers on May 4 that the company had noticed unusual login activity on their account, possibly due to an unauthorized person having obtained their account username and password
Data breach at Guilford-area schools leads to identity thefts (Bangor Daily News) A data breach in School Administrative District 4 has resulted in at least five employees dealing with false income tax returns filed in their name, according to the Piscataquis County Sheriff’s Department
ISIS Cyberthreat: Puny but Gaining Power (TechNewsWorld) The Islamic State group's cyberwar capabilities are unsophisticated, but they won't be that way for long
Hacking for ISIS: The Emergent Cyber Threat Landscape (Flashpoint) As the Islamic State (ISIS) has grown over the past two years, so too has its media machine, global support, and online channels. This unprecedented expansion has now come to include capabilities to inflict damage over the Internet, which came to light when its supporters began coordinating and organizing cyber attacks on Western targets. Highlighting this newfound desire to cause virtual harm was the brief 2014 takeover of Twitter accounts run by US CENTCOM and Newsweek
4 Reasons the War Against ISIS Is Working—and 1 Reason It’s Not (Time) The U.S.-led coalition has had increasing success in the war on ISIS, especially in Iraq and Syria—but the terror organization is regrouping in Libya
Al Qaeda Is About to Establish an Emirate in Northern Syria (Foregin Policy) After years on the back foot, the Nusra Front is laying the groundwork for al Qaeda’s first sovereign state
Security Patches, Mitigations, and Software Updates
Qualcomm patches widespread vulnerability, but most phones will remain at risk (CSO) OEMs got the fix in March, but that doesn't mean they pushed it to users
Cyber Trends
Prove It: The Rapid Rise of 12,000 Shared Proof-of-Concept Exploits (Recorded Future) Security researchers, threat actors, academics, and industry professionals all code proof-of-concept (POC) exploits
Miscreants tripled output of proof of concept exploits in 2015 (Register) Pastebin is for old hats. Cool black hats use Twitter now
For PoC exploits, go on Twitter (Help Net Security) Proof-of-Concept exploits are increasingly being shared and discussed online, threat intelligence firm Recorded Future has discovered
Proof-of-Concept Exploit Sharing Is On The Rise (Dark Reading) Research offers cyber defenders view of which POC exploits are being shared and distributed by threat actors
Antimalware software works, hackers still trying to exploit 6-year-old bugs (Ars Technica) Latest Microsoft security report confirms: There's a lot of malware out there
Cloud E-mail Security Market to Grow at 15.5% CAGR Driven by Adoption of Hybrid Solutions by Enterprises to 2020 (Newsmaker) According to the Cloud E-mail Security market report, a key driver for market growth is the rising number of instances of cloud service-specific attacks
Online Transaction Fraud To Hit $25.6 Billion By 2020 (Dark Reading) Juniper Research says cybercriminals will move to 'card not present' space with focus on ecommerce
What's Next For Network Security (Dark Reading) A 'vanishing' physical network perimeter in the age of mobile, cloud services, and the Internet of Things, is changing network security as well
The encryption challenge (GCN) IT managers know the movies get it wrong. A teenager with a laptop cannot crack multiple layers of encryption -- unless that laptop is connected to a supercomputer somewhere and the teenager can afford to wait a few billion years
Marketplace
Cyber insurance can be your worst nightmare, best friend (CSO) This new type of coverage has insurers, infosec pros scratching their heads
Better Buy: Palo Alto Networks Inc. vs. FireEye Inc. (Motley Fool) Which cybersecurity stock is a better fit for your portfolio?
FireEye vs. CyberArk: Who Won Earnings? (24/7 Wall Street) Both FireEye Inc. (NASDAQ: FEYE) and CyberArk Software Ltd. (NASDAQ: CYBR) reported first-quarter financial results after the markets closed on Thursday. 24/7 Wall Street took highlights from each of the earnings reports and put them side by side so we can see which cybersecurity firm had the better quarter
FireEye, Partners See Big Shift Toward Security Subscription Services In Q1 (CRN) FireEye saw a significant jump in demand for subscription-based security solutions in the first quarter of 2016 -- a trend company executives said Thursday would play an even greater part of its strategy going forward as it transitions CEOs
Tesserent Ltd to acquire cyber security specialist (Proactive Investors) Tesserent Ltd (ASX:TNT) will expand its position in the cyber security market, after signing an agreement to acquire the business of Blue Reef Pty Ltd, a provider of cyber security solutions for the education market
Contracting Groups Blast 'Flawed' Approach to $17.5B Pentagon Contract (Nextgov) Two industry groups who together represent a multitude of defense and IT contractors have taken issue with the Pentagon’s choice to source its $17.5 billion Encore III contract through the "lowest price, technically acceptable" selection process
CloudPassage Named "Most Innovative Cybersecurity Company" (MarketWired) Company honored in 2016 Cybersecurity Excellence Awards
Black Duck forms security advisory board, adds research and data-mining group (Software Development Times) Black Duck, the global leader in automated solutions for securing and managing open source software, today announced strategic initiatives to add security expertise and strengthen its research and innovation capabilities
Minerva Labs Bolsters Team With Seasoned Business and Tech Leaders (Press Release Rocket) Minerva brings in experienced industry leaders Lenny Zeltser and Steve Dickson as Advisory Board Members
Q. What's orange and white, has a new CEO but is red all over? A. Teradata (Register) Victor Lund sweeps in as new old broom
FireEye Strengthens Leadership Team, Positioning Company for Future Growth (MarketWired) David DeWalt becomes Executive Chairman, Kevin Mandia appointed CEO
Products, Services, and Solutions
VASCO Extends Biometrics Authentication Capability with DIGIPASS for Apps Face Recognition (PRNewswire) Facial recognition and fingerprint biometrics supplement a comprehensive library of mobile application protection solutions
Technologies, Techniques, and Standards
7 Password Experts on How to Lock Down Your Online Security (Wired) As far as made-up holidays go, “World Password Day” doesn’t quite have the same cachet as, say, Father’s Day, or even National Pancake Day (March 8th). Still, it’s as good an excuse as any to fix your bad passwords. Or better yet, to finally realize that the password you thought was good still needs some work
Forget about passwords: You need a passphrase! (We Live Security) 123456. password. 12345678. qwerty. 12345. All of the above, so easy to remember, so quick to type, so conveniently effortless to manage, represent five of the most common passwords used … today
World Password Day: Five ways to upgrade your password (IT Pro Portal) World Password Day is apparently a day for “taking our passwords to the next level”, so here are five traditions the crooks and password crackers really, really don’t want us to start
Before fighting a cyber attack, you have to find it first - How to tell if a data breach has hit your business (CBR) Analysis: Could your business be the next Sony, TalkTalk or Ashley Madison?
5 Questions SMBs Should Ask About Cloud Security (Dark Reading) Most small companies need help. Start by asking the right questions
How To Avoid Being A Cyber-Crime Victim (Convenience Store Decisions) “Most companies have some vulnerability and it doesn’t take a sophisticated attack to cause a security breach,” warns the CEO of SnoopWall
The Art of Hiding Cellphone, Laptop Cameras From Hackers and Government (Hack Read) With new and modern technology comes great responsibility for us as users to continue taking care and worrying about our privacy
Lessons Learned Drive DCGS-A Forward (SIGNAL) Army officials directly address criticisms of the service’s field intelligence system as it evolves
Design and Innovation
Craig Wright Ends His Attempt to Prove He Created Bitcoin: ‘I’m Sorry’ (WIred) Earlier this week, Australian Craig Wright offered what he called proof that he was Satoshi Nakamoto, the creator of the cryptocurrency Bitcoin, months after we had identified him as a possible candidate
Craig Wright Says Sorry, He Can't Offer Proof He's Bitcoin Creator Satoshi (Forbes) Either Craig Wright’s website has been hacked or he has issued a stunning apology that he can no longer offer proof he is the creator of cryptocurrency Bitcoin, the almost-mythical Satoshi Nakamoto
I’m Sorry (Dr. Craig Wright) I believed that I could do this. I believed that I could put the years of anonymity and hiding behind me. But, as the events of this week unfolded and I prepared to publish the proof of access to the earliest keys, I broke. I do not have the courage. I cannot
Can a Cybersecurity App Help Engage the Board? (InfoRisk Today) Looking for ways to get senior managers, board members more involved
Research and Development
How a Bunch of Supercomputers in the Desert Are Keeping You Safe (PC Magazine) PCMag met up with two supercomputing and quantum cryptography experts at Los Alamos National Laboratory's Strategic Computing Complex to see what keeps them busy at the secretive compound
Academia
Northrop Grumman Announces Winners of UK's CyberCenturion Competition to Find Cyber Security Talent of the Future (Globe Newswire) Company congratulates 2016 CyberCenturion Winners and highlights the global need for increased STEM and cyber education
Legislation, Policy, and Regulation
Can Pakistan's New Cybersecurity Law Help Combat Cybercrime? (InfoRisk Today) Still a Long Way to Go to Ensure a Cybersecure Ecosystem
Cyber operations come out of the shadows (Defense Systems) Cyber operations, which have long been conducted in the background, have been gaining more prominence. With high-profile intrusions into U.S. systems – the Office of Personnel Management and the email system for the Joint Chiefs of Staff, to name a couple – cyber conflict, capability and awareness has been brought to the attention of the public
NSA reveals hundreds of bugs a year, says former official (San Francisco Chronicle) A retired technical director for the National Security Agency, Richard George, says that the NSA regularly disclosed more than a thousand software and hardware bugs a year to companies
Presidential candidates asked to support encryption, embrace other IT issues (IDG via CSO) Candidates should talk more about cybersecurity and other tech issues, trade groups say
As nominee, Trump would get classified intelligence briefings (USA TODAY) Donald Trump's all-but-certain nomination as the Republican candidate for president has prompted questions about what kinds of intelligence briefings presidential candidates should have access to
Dem senator: Trump would leak classified information (THe Hill) Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) is raising concerns about giving Donald Trump access to classified intelligence, saying the GOP's presumptive presidential nominee would leak information
Spies Worry Candidate Trump Will Spill Secrets (Daily Beast) Take a conspiracy-minded, shoot-from-the-hip GOP candidate. Add classified briefings. Watch current and former intelligence officials squirm
Litigation, Investigation, and Law Enforcement
LAPD hacks iPhone 5s, proves they don't need Apple backdoor (TechRepublic) The LAPD recently hacked into an iPhone 5s involved in a very public murder trial. This news could prove a potential roadblock for backdoor legislation
So … Now the Government Wants to Hack Cybercrime Victims (Wired) Three new changes in federal court rules have vastly expanded law enforcement’s ability to hack into computers around the world
Top aide to Hillary Clinton questioned by FBI in email server investigation (Los Angeles Times) Huma Abedin, a close aide to Democratic presidential front-runner Hillary Clinton, was questioned last month by FBI agents investigating whether classified material was mishandled on the private email server used by the former secretary of State and her aides, according to a person familiar with the investigation
Officials: Scant evidence that Clinton had malicious intent in handling of emails (Washington Post) Prosecutors and FBI agents investigating Hillary Clinton’s use of a personal email server have so far found scant evidence that the leading Democratic presidential candidate intended to break classification rules, though they are still probing the case aggressively with an eye on interviewing Clinton herself, according to U.S. officials familiar with the matter
'Guccifer' Says He Hacked Hillary Clinton's Email and 'It Was Easy' (Fortune) Marcel Lazar, a Romanian man who has been accused of targeting politicians and their aides and goes by the name “Guccifer,” claims to have hacked Democratic Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton’s email server
After Hacking Bush, Guccifer admits Hacking Hillary Clinton’s Private Email Server (Hack Read) Marcel Lehel Lazar, infamously known as Guccifer, has admitted to hacking private email server of Democratic presidential hopeful and former First Lady of America Hillary Clinton back in 2013
NSA Silent on Spies’ Child Porn Problem (Daily Beast) The government’s cyber spying outfit has an ‘unbelievable’ child porn problem. But the NSA can’t—or won’t—say how often it finds such criminal images on its workers’ computers
Navy: Accused Spy Edward Lin Gave Secret Information to FBI Informant (USNI) The evidence against a U.S. Navy officer accused of passing classified information to foreign agents was the result – in part — of a government sting involving a Mandarin speaking FBI informant, according to an audio recording of an April 8 Article 32 hearing played for reporters on Thursday
Sailor charged with espionage contests his confession (Virginian-Pilot) A Taiwanese-born sailor charged with espionage admitted to the crime after he was arrested at Honolulu’s airport and was interrogated by Naval Criminal Investigative Service agents, but his attorney says the statement shouldn’t be admissible at a trial, according to evidence presented at a preliminary hearing at Norfolk Naval Station last month
On Wendy’s Class Action: The Beef’s in the Details (Digital Guardian) The fast food chain is the latest to face a class action lawsuit on behalf of customers whose credit card data was stolen following a data breach
Long Island University Student Arrested in Federal Child Porn Case (ABC 7) A young man was arrested Thursday morning on a Long Island college campus, accused of trolling Internet gaming sites popular with boys, in a case experts say represents a cautionary tale for parents
No one organizes any crime on Slack, apparently (TechCrunch) Slack released its second annual transparency report today, revealing that it has received a grand total of one government request for user data. Just one
