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Sensitive data
Cyber Attacks Data Leak data security Data Theft Hacker attack Indian Cyber Security Pakistan Hacker Personal Data Sensitive data

Pakistan-Based Hackers Launch Cyber Attack on Indian Defence Websites, Claim Access to Sensitive Data

 

In a concerning escalation of cyber hostilities, a Pakistan-based threat group known as the Pakistan Cyber Force launched a coordinated cyber offensive on multiple Indian defence-related websites on Monday. The group claimed responsibility for defacing the official site of a Ministry of Defence public sector undertaking (PSU) and asserted that it had gained unauthorized access to sensitive information belonging to Indian defence personnel. According to reports, the targeted websites included those of the Military Engineering Service (MES) and the Manohar Parrikar Institute of Defence Studies and Analyses (MP-IDSA), both critical components in India’s defence research and infrastructure network. 

The group’s social media posts alleged that it had exfiltrated login credentials and personal data associated with defence personnel. One particularly alarming development was the defacement of the official website of Armoured Vehicle Nigam Limited (AVNL), a key PSU under the Ministry of Defence. The hackers replaced the homepage with the Pakistani flag and an image of the Al Khalid tank, a symbol of Pakistan’s military capabilities. A message reportedly posted on social platform X read, “Hacked. Your security is illusion. MES data owned,” followed by a list of names allegedly linked to Indian defence staff. 

Sources quoted by ANI indicated that there is a credible concern that personal data of military personnel may have been compromised during the breach. In response, authorities promptly took the AVNL website offline to prevent further exploitation and launched a full-scale forensic audit to assess the scope of the intrusion and restore digital integrity. Cybersecurity experts are currently monitoring for further signs of intrusion, especially in light of repeated cyber threats and defacement attempts linked to Pakistani-sponsored groups. 

The ongoing tensions between the two countries have only heightened the frequency and severity of such state-aligned cyber operations. This latest attack follows a pattern of provocative cyber incidents, with Pakistani hacker groups increasingly targeting sensitive Indian assets in attempts to undermine national security and sow discord. Intelligence sources are treating the incident as part of a broader information warfare campaign and have emphasized the need for heightened vigilance and improved cyber defense strategies. 

Authorities continue to investigate the breach while urging government departments and defense agencies to reinforce their cybersecurity posture amid rising digital threats in the region.
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Sensitive data
Chinese Hackers CISA Cyber Security Ghost MFA Sensitive data

Chinese Ghost Hackers Focus on Profits, Attack Key Sectors in the US and UK


 

In the world of cybercrime, criminals usually fall into two groups. Some target individuals, tricking them for money. Others go after important organizations like hospitals and companies, hoping for bigger payouts. Although attacks on healthcare are less common, they cause major harm when they happen. Incidents like the New York Blood Center hack, where hackers stole a million patient records, show how serious the risk is. Now, a new report warns about Chinese cybercriminals, known as Ghost, who are attacking government offices, power companies, banks, factories, and hospitals. Most of their attacks have affected North America and the United Kingdom.


Ghost Hackers Active in Over 70 Countries

According to research shared by Rebecca Harpur from Blackfog, the Ghost hacking group is based in China and acts on its own without links to the government. Their main goal is to make money, not to steal secrets. Over time, this group has changed its identity multiple times, previously using names like Cring, Crypt3r, Hello, and Phantom. By rebranding, they make it harder for law enforcement agencies to track them as one single group.

Despite their tricks, agencies like the FBI and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) have raised alarms about the damage Ghost can cause. The Blackfog report explains that victims usually receive a message demanding money, threatening to either destroy stolen information or release it publicly if they refuse to pay.


How Ghost Carries Out Its Attacks

The way Ghost hackers break into systems usually follows the same pattern:

• They first find and exploit weaknesses in systems that are open to the internet, such as VPN devices, websites, and email servers.

• After getting inside, they install secret programs like Cobalt Strike and web shells to stay hidden. They often create fake accounts and disable security software once they have high-level access.

• With these privileges, they move across the network quietly and transfer sensitive data to their own servers.

• Once enough data is stolen, they release ransomware programs (often named Ghost.exe or Cring.exe) across the network. This encrypts files, destroys backup copies, and leaves a ransom note demanding payment.


Tips to Stay Protected

Although the FBI has provided detailed steps to defend against these attacks, Blackfog suggests a few important actions:

1. Keep backups of all important data and store them separately from your main network.

2. Always install the latest updates for your operating systems, applications, and firmware.

3. Use multi-factor authentication to add an extra layer of security to user accounts.

4. Divide your network into smaller parts to make it harder for hackers to move around freely if they break in.


The Ghost hacking group is not interested in spying — their focus is on making money. Organizations need to stay alert, strengthen their defenses, and act fast to prevent serious damage from these ongoing threats.






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telecommunications
Data Breach Orange Group Security Systems Sensitive data telecommunications

Hacker Leaks Stolen Data After Cyberattack on Orange Group

 


A hacker has claimed responsibility for breaking into the systems of Orange Group, a well-known French telecommunications provider. The attacker alleges that they stole a large number of internal files, including confidential details about customers and employees. After failing to extort the company, the hacker released some of this data on an underground forum.  


Orange Verifies the Cyberattack  

Orange Group has acknowledged the breach, stating that the attack targeted a non-essential system. The company has started an internal investigation and is taking steps to limit the damage. However, reports suggest that significant amounts of data have already been exposed.  

The hacker, who goes by the online name Rey, is associated with a cybercriminal group called HellCat. Despite this, Rey insists that this was not a ransomware attack. The breach primarily impacted Orange Romania, a regional branch of the company.  


What Information Was Compromised?  

According to the hacker, the stolen files contain nearly 380,000 email addresses, as well as confidential company records. The leaked data includes:  

• Customer and employee details  

• Business contracts and invoices  

• Internal source code  

• Payment card information, though many of these details are outdated  

Some of the email addresses in the leaked files belonged to former employees and business partners who had been associated with Orange Romania over five years ago. Additionally, the breach affected records from Yoxo, Orange’s subscription-based mobile service.  


How Did the Breach Occur?  

Rey claims to have accessed Orange’s systems for over a month before stealing data. The hacker reportedly gained entry using stolen login credentials and weaknesses in Jira, a software tool the company uses for project management and issue tracking.  

On the day of the attack, the hacker extracted company files for about three hours without triggering any security alerts. They also left a ransom note, but Orange did not respond or engage in negotiations.  


Orange’s Official Statement  

When asked about the breach, an Orange spokesperson confirmed that their Romanian operations had been targeted by hackers. The company’s cybersecurity and IT teams are currently working to understand the full extent of the breach and are focused on reducing its impact.  


A Pattern of Attacks?  

This is not the first time attackers have used Jira security flaws to steal information from large corporations. In similar cases, cybercriminals have managed to extract huge amounts of data, including 40GB in one breach and 2.5GB in another.  

This incident shows us the reality of weakened security systems and stolen login details can allow hackers to infiltrate major organizations. Companies must regularly update their cybersecurity measures to prevent such attacks. Employees and customers affected by this breach should remain cautious of phishing scams or fraudulent activities that may arise from their leaked data.  

As the investigation progresses, more details about the Orange Group breach may emerge. For now, the company is working on securing its systems and preventing further exposure of sensitive information.

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Sensitive data
Builder.ai Data Breach database Identity Theft Sensitive data

Builder.ai Data Breach Exposes Sensitive Information of Over 3 Million Users

 

A huge data security breach has come to light, with the data platform Builder.ai. It's a service that lets organizations build their own proprietary, custom software applications, which don't need heavy programming. According to a blog post by a security researcher, sensitive information from more than three million users' accounts was inadvertently leaked to the internet, leaving an open question of what now?

Jeremiah Fowler, a cybersecurity expert known for discovering unsecured online databases, found a Builder.ai archive with over 3 million records. This archive reportedly contained 1.29 terabytes of data, including very sensitive materials such as invoices, NDAs, email screenshots, and tax documents.

Worryingly, files contained access keys and configurations of two cloud storage systems. These keys, in the wrong hands, could grant hackers access to even more sensitive data.  


What Was Exposed

The exposed database included the following:  

337,434 invoices: The documents comprised transactions between Builder.ai and its clients.

32,810 master service agreements: Most agreements included user names, e-mail addresses, IP details and project estimations of the cost associated with a particular project giving a holistic overview of their sensitive information.  


Such data left unprotected poses grave risks. This information could be used for phishing scams, identity theft, or even financial fraud by criminals. Phishing is the art of making people give up their personal information by claiming to be a trusted person. The presence of cloud storage keys in the database further increases the worry, as this may also open access to more sensitive files elsewhere.

Fowler quickly notified the company, Builder.ai. However, the company, in its defense, showed that it could not tighten the database security due to "complexities with dependent systems." It is already a month, and nobody knows if the problem persists.  

Misconfigured databases are one of the constant problems of the digital era. Companies don't realize they have a shared responsibility to secure the data when it comes to cloud services, leaving large repositories of information exposed unintentionally. 

For businesses, this is an important wake-up call regarding comprehensive cybersecurity practices- periodic checks and ensuring the databases are properly secured for users' data protection.

For users, vigilance is key. Anyone who's interacted with Builder.ai should keep an eye out on their accounts for anything weird and be on their toes for phishing scams.

And in this hyperconnected world, security breaches such as this remind us that vigilance is key, too, for companies as much as it is for their users.



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Sensitive data
CAPTCHA Mobile Security phishing Sensitive data

Executives Targeted by Advanced Mobile Phishing Attacks

 

Mobile phishing attacks have continued to advance, targeting corporate executives. A report from mobile security firm Zimperium describes these attacks as highly sophisticated means of exploiting mobile devices. Thus, there is an emerging need for awareness and security measures.

How the Attacks Function

One campaign uncovered by Zimperium’s research team (zLabs) impersonated Docusign, a widely trusted e-signature platform. The attackers sent fake emails designed to look like urgent communications from Docusign. These emails urged recipients to click on a link to review an important document, playing on trust and the sense of urgency.

Initial Stage: Clicking the link redirected victims to a legitimate-looking webpage, masking its malicious intent.

Second-level Credibility: Then it led to a phishing site with a compromised university website address, which gave it a third level of credibility.

Mobile Specific Ploys: The phishing site on mobile was a Google sign-in page, created to steal login credentials. Desktop users were taken to actual Google pages to avoid detection.

Using CAPTCHA: To gain user trust, attackers added CAPTCHA verification in the phishing pages, so it resembled a real one.

Why Mobile Devices Are the Target

Mobile devices are generally less secure than traditional computers, making them a preferred target. The attackers planned well and even registered domains and SSL certificates just days before sending phishing emails. This was very hard to detect, because of the time invested in preparation.

Steps to Stay Protected

Experts advise that businesses take several steps to protect themselves from these attacks:

  • Train Employees: Educate employees, especially executives, on how to detect phishing attempts and not to click on suspicious links.
  • Mobile Security: Strengthen security on mobile devices and update policies to address emerging threats.
  • Use Advanced Tools: Implement advanced detection systems that can identify these new, highly hidden attacks.

Mika Aalto, the CEO of the security company Hoxhunt, believes that organizations should think about early prevention and equip employees with the skills to identify phishing attacks. He also advocates for better technical tools to help detect and block schemes more effectively.

Therefore, with the understanding and preparation about these threats, organizations can ensure their executives and sensitive data are protected from this mobile phishing campaign danger.

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Sensitive data
Bucharest Cyber Security Electrica Group Sensitive data

Electrica Group Under Cyber Attack, Systems Secure

 


Romanian energy provider Electrica Group has confirmed a cyber attack on its systems. Despite the breach, the company assured customers that its critical infrastructure remains secure. 

Incident Overview 
 
Electrica revealed that emergency response protocols were activated in line with cybersecurity requirements. While some operations faced short-term disruptions, these measures were necessary to protect internal systems and maintain business continuity. 
  
Collaboration with Cybersecurity Experts 
 
Electrica's technical teams are working with national cybersecurity agencies to:
  • Identify the source of the breach.
  • Prevent further disruptions.
  • Ensure the protection of sensitive data.
The company remains committed to delivering reliable electricity and safeguarding customer information. 

Customer Safety Advisory 
 
Electrica urged customers to remain vigilant and issued the following recommendations:
  • Avoid sharing personal information through unverified channels.
  • Be cautious of messages claiming to be from Electrica.
These measures are vital to prevent scams during the incident. 
  
Commitment to Transparency 

Electrica pledged to provide regular updates as efforts to mitigate the attack continue. The company is focused on minimizing the impact, restoring normal operations, and addressing vulnerabilities. 

This incident underscores the rising threats utility providers face and the critical need for robust cybersecurity mechanisms to protect infrastructure and public trust. Electrica is addressing the situation proactively, prioritizing reliability and customer safety.
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Social Security Number
Data Breach Digital Security Passwords Sensitive data Social Security Number

Why Ignoring Data Breaches Can Be Costly




Data breaches are now more rampant than ever, exposing passwords and payment details to hackers. You could be getting breach alerts that pop up every so often, warning you that your data has been exposed. It's a wake-up call on how rampant the breaches are.

A Persistent Problem 

Data breaches have become part of our online lives. From credit card numbers to social security information, hackers never cease their attempts to access sensitive data. In fact, many breaches are financially driven, and about 95% of cyberattacks aim for money or valuable information. Still, despite all the news every day, companies often do not realise they have been breached until almost six months pass. The average time to discovery is 194 days according to Varonis. Therefore, the attackers have sufficient time to use the information before the companies can even initiate their response.

Rise of Breach Blindness

Over time, exposure to breach after breach has created "breach blindness," as if these alerts do not matter anymore. Since most of the time, nothing immediate happens, it is easy to scroll past breach notifications without thinking twice. This apathy is dangerous. Such a lack of care could mean stolen identities, financial fraud, and no one holding the companies accountable for their inability to protect the data.

When companies lose money as a result of these breaches, the consumer pays for it in the form of higher fees or costs. IBM reports that the worldwide average cost of a data breach is nearly $5 million, a 10% increase from last year. Such a high cost is a burden shared between the consumer and the economy at large.

How to Protect Your Data

Although companies are liable for securing data, there are various measures that can be undertaken personally. The first and most obvious measure is that your account should have a very strong and unique password. Hackers rely on frequently used, weakly protected passwords to bypass most accounts. Changing them with complexity makes it even more challenging for attackers to bypass and get to compromising your data.

It is much important to stay vigilant nowadays with data breaches being as common as a part and parcel of the internet. This breach, little by little, erodes privacy online and security. Stop pretending not to know those prompts; take them as warnings to check on your web security and work on strengthening it if needed. The one thing to do with all this is to keep apprised so as to not be taken in on the hook.




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Vulnerabilities and Exploits
Google Cloud Mandiant Investigation Patching Sensitive data Vulnerabilities and Exploits

Think You’re Safe? Cyberattackers Are Exploiting Flaws in Record Time

 


There has been unprecedented exploitation by attackers of vulnerabilities in the software, Mandiant announced. According to the newly released report of the Mandiant cybersecurity firm, after an analysis of 138 exploits published in 2023, on average, in five days an attacker already exploits a vulnerability. Because of this speed, very soon it has become paramount for organisations to make their system updates quickly. The study, published by Google Cloud bloggers, shows that this trend has greatly reduced the time taken for attackers to exploit both unknown vulnerabilities, known as zero-day, and known ones, called N-day.

Speed in the Exploitation Going Up

As indicated by Mandiant research, the time-to-exploit, which is a statistic indicating the average number of days taken by attackers to exploit a discovered vulnerability, has been reducing rapidly. During 2018, it took nearly 63 days for hackers to exploit vulnerabilities. However, in the case of 2023, hackers took merely five days for exploitation. This shows that the attackers are getting more efficient in exploiting those security vulnerabilities before the application developers could patch them satisfactorily.

Zero-Day and N-Day Vulnerabilities

The report makes a distinction between the zero-day vulnerabilities, being the undisclosed and unpatched flaws that attackers would exploit immediately, and N-day vulnerabilities, which are already known flaws that attackers aim at after patches have already been released. In the year 2023, types of vulnerabilities targeted by the attackers changed, with rates of zero-day exploitation, which rose to a ratio of 30:70 compared with N-day attacks. This trend shows that attackers now prefer zero-day exploits, which may be because they allow immediate access to systems and sensitive data before the vulnerability is known to the world.

Timing and Frequency of Exploitation

This again proves that N-day vulnerabilities are at their most vulnerable state during the first few weeks when the patch is released. Of the observed N-day vulnerabilities, 56% happened within the first month after a patch was released. Besides, 5% were attacked within just one day of the patch release while 29% attacked in the first week after release. This fast pace is something that makes the patches really important to apply to organizations as soon as possible after they are available.

Widening Scope for Attack Targets

For the past ten years, attackers have enormously widened their scope of attacks by targeting a growing list of vendors. According to the report, on this front, the count increased from 25 in the year 2018 to 56 in 2023. The widening of such a nature increases the trouble for teams, who have now encountered a significantly expanded attack surface along with the ever-increasing possibility of attacks at a number of systems and software applications.


Case Studies Exposing Different Exploits

Mandiant has published case studies on how attackers exploit vulnerabilities. For example, CVE-2023-28121 is a vulnerability in the WooCommerce Payments plugin for WordPress, which was published in March 2023. Although it had been previously secure, it became highly exploited after the technical details of how to exploit the flaw were published online. Attacks started a day after the release of a weaponized tool, peaking to 1.3 million attacks in one day. This fast growth shows how easy certain vulnerabilities can be in high demand by attackers when tools to exploit are generally available.


The case of the CVE-2023-27997 vulnerability that occurred with respect to the Secure Sockets Layer in Fortinet's FortiOS was another type that had a different timeline when it came to the attack. Even though media alert was very much all over when the vulnerability was first brought to the limelight, it took them about two or three months before executing the attack. This may probably be because of the difficulty with which the exploit needs to be carried out since there will be the use of intricate techniques to achieve it. On the other hand, the exploit for the WooCommerce plugin was quite easier where it only required the presence of an HTTP header.

Complexity of Patching Systems

While patching in due time is very essential, this is not that easy especially when updating such patches across massive systems. The CEO at Quarkslab says that Fred Raynal stated that patching two or three devices is feasible; however, patching thousands of them requires much coordination and lots of resources. Secondly, the complexity of patching in devices like a mobile phone is immense due to multiple layers which are required for updates to finally reach a user.

Some critical systems, like energy platforms or healthcare devices, have patching issues more difficult than others. System reliability and uninterrupted operation in such systems may be placed above the security updates. According to Raynal, companies in some instances even ban patching because of the risks of operational disruptions, leaving some of the devices with known vulnerabilities unpatched.

The Urgency of Timely Patching

Says Mandiant, it is such an attack timeline that organisations face the threat of attackers exploiting vulnerabilities faster than ever before. This is the report's finding while stating that it requires more than timely patching to stay ahead of attackers to secure the increasingly complex and multi-layered systems that make up more and more of the world's digital infrastructure.


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United States
Data Breach MC2 data National Public Data Sensitive data United States

Massive Data Breach Exposes Personal Info of Millions of Americans

 



One-third of all the Americans' information has been leaked by a background check company in the United States due to a disturbing data breach report. MC2 Data, which is one of the largest providers of background checks in the US, has left an enormous database unchecked online, putting millions of people's sensitive information at risk.

According to a Cybernews report from 23 September, this was first found out when MC2 Data left 2.2 TB of personal data open for anyone on the internet. This translates to over 106 million records about individual entities, which it claims may have affected the privacy of more than 100 million individuals. More than 2.3 million users' record details are also compromised; they had also asked for background checks, and their details were now open to the public.


Potential Effects of the Leaks

Comments by Aras Nazarovas, Cybernews security researcher: "These leaks are quite concerning, thinking of all the possible aftermaths which will not only result in extra problems always connected with identity theft, but may also involve numerous communities and organisations in battles-the cybercrime attackers commonly draw on background checks for such detailed personal information to prepare for attacks on individuals or groups.".

Background check services, intended to enhance security, have themselves not gone scot-free from cyber attacks and threats. The magnitude of the leakage can form a treasure trove of malicious users who can now access sensitive information more easily while still incurring less risk in perpetuating cyber attacks. Such leakage may underlie long-term trends in which personal data will be insecure in a society that increasingly digitalizes.


A Persisting Industry Problem

To the dismay of privacy advocates, this is not the first major breach involving a background check company. In August 2024, National Public Data, another giant in the background check sector, disclosed that it had suffered a breach exposing 2.7 billion public records. The compromised data included sensitive details such as names, social security numbers, email addresses, phone numbers, and birth dates.

It was reported that the leak at National Public Data started in December 2023, but the leaked data was published in April 2024. Cybersecurity specialists warn that such sensitive information being free for all to access increases the risk of more cyber attacks on people whose sensitive data have been leaked.

 

Consumer Watchdogs Raise the Alarm

In light of such repeated breaches, the consumer watchdog director for the U.S. Public Interest Research Group, Teresa Murray, said that this is indeed an extremely serious issue. Talking to ASIS International, Murray pointed out that due to its scale, what happened in the National Public Data breach makes it even more frightening compared to similar breaches. She said that people should view this as a "five-alarm wake-up call" to start taking their data security seriously.

Both those breaches are harsh reminders about the vulnerabilities that exist in the background check industry and the necessity of further security measures. Individuals are encouraged to monitor their personal information on a regular basis and take proactive steps about protecting them from identity theft and other forms of cybercrime.


What Needs to Be Done

Amid this swelling tide of data breaches, companies involved in handling sensitive information - such as firms conducting background checks - must be more attentive to their cybersecurity. Better data protection practices and more robust encryption and authentication systems can minimise this risk very well. In addition, individuals need to be vigilant as well. They must monitor each suspicious activity related to their personal information at regular intervals.

These breaches underscore the need for better regulations and also more oversight of operations that house large amounts of personal data. Unless further security is achieved, millions of Americans will remain vulnerable to danger from poor data protection.

Most recently, information fraud related to MC2 Data and National Public Data placed the identities of millions of Americans at risk of identity theft and other cybercrimes. Therefore, such cases occur frequently, and it is time for the business world and consumers to take data security seriously to prevent sensitive information from falling into the wrong hands.


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Spoofing
Cyber Attacks Ransomware Sensitive data SMBs Spoofing

Why SMBs Have Become Easy Prey for Cyber Criminals

 



The global phenomenon of cybercrime is emerging. And the soft targets in this regard are the small and medium-sized business enterprises. Day after day, while a few cyberattacks on big corporations capture the headlines in the news, many SMBs experience similar attacks, but these never gain much attention. However, the damage inflicted on them can be just as debilitating as those affecting the large corporations.

Actually, SMBs are so vulnerable to cyber attacks for several reasons. For instance, most SMBs cannot afford to pay for professional and effective cybersecurity solutions. As compared to large businesses that budget millions of money for cybersecurity, SMBs only spend a small amount on the protection systems hence becoming easy targets. Small businesses usually have just a few IT staff who are not as skilled in dealing with the sophisticated nature of contemporary cybersecurity threats.

Another reason is that most SMB owners do not treat cybersecurity issues seriously enough. Cybersecurity is rarely on their priority list, and owners give more attention to ready operational issues rather than long-term digital security. In this area of complacency, the wide open window to many cyber threats, including phishing attacks, malware, and ransomware attacks, counts in favour of SMBs.


Cyber Threats Amongst SMBs

Among other problems facing SMBs is ransomware. Attackers of ransomware attack by locking or exfiltrating the company's valuable data. They then send messages demanding payment for the access to the data again. In the absence of proper data backup, an SMB will be caught between a rock and a hard place-to pay the ransom or to lose all the data.

Besides the ransomware, phishing attacks targeting SMBs involve hackers impersonating legit sources for extracting sensitive information. Malware and spoofing attacks may alter or camouflage digital communications to deceive the users.

In addition, cybercriminals often use SMBs as stepping stones to access larger businesses that they associate themselves with. Therefore, hackers can leverage any security loopholes in an SMB to their bad books by using such information to act against larger attacks.


Why Cybercriminals Prefer Targeting SMBs

Cybercriminals focus on SMBs as these are comparatively softer targets. Small organisations are unlikely to be as advanced in cybersecurity matters as big ones. Although they are applying widely used tools like Microsoft Excel, Outlook or cloud services, SMBs often fail to secure those platforms properly.

Furthermore, cyber attackers know that vulnerabilities in SMB systems may eventually find a way into more harmful attacks. For example, if the attackers succeed in stealing all the client or customer data in SMBs, they can use the same stolen information at later dates to link it with other available stolen information in conducting even more devastating cyberattacks.


How Small and Medium Businesses Can Avoid Cyberattacks

Small and medium-sized organisations will need to be proactive in preventing cyberattacks. Although investment in cybersecurity software is important, it is more than this. A good starting point would be implementing some easy security protocols, such as email authentication and spam filters, but training employees on the warning signs and what to do can make all the difference.

For example, one important step that an SMB must take is the development of a cybersecurity plan. The plan should detail the procedures for maintaining access and properly handling sensitive data, including permission management and regularly backing up important files. The IT departments of the SMBs need to be very vigilant with the monitoring of access to cloud-based and locally stored data, protecting it from unauthorised access.

Since SMBs can no longer claim to be immune from cyber threats, in the digital world of today, the SMBs must crack down and invest in measures aimed at protecting their businesses against cyber threats. Make haste to ensure that appropriate security measures are put in place and guard themselves against potentially costly cyberattacks that could jeopardise their operations and reputation otherwise.


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Sensitive data
cyber attack identity Microsoft Security Sensitive data

Microsoft Tightens Cloud Security After Major Breaches

 



In its efforts to better its cloud security, Microsoft has done much to remove any potential vulnerabilities and tightened the process of authenticating individuals. This comes after the tech giant saw several security breaches within the past year. Under the Secure Future Initiative launched in November 2023, Microsoft has so far purged 730,000 unused applications and deactivated 5.75 million inactive tenants in its cloud system. The initiative has been a direct response to cyber intrusions that had resulted in the revelation of sensitive data.

Reducing the Cyber Attack Surface

The firm has sought to minimise its attack surface by identifying dead or idle areas of its cloud infrastructure and is working to eliminate them. Removing hundreds of thousands of applications and millions of unused tenants works at making Microsoft shrink down the possible avenues the hackers may employ to penetrate it. Furthermore, Microsoft has sought to make the software production environment more secure by equipping the software teams with 15,000 locked-down devices. In its other security measure, the company conducted video-based identity verification for 95 percent of its production staff for further security in the identity authentication process. 

Better Identity and Authentication Security

Cybersecurity is one aspect where Microsoft has improved much. For instance, the identity management systems for its Entra ID and Microsoft Account (MSA) platforms have been remarkably enhanced.

These updates target better generation, storage, and rotation of access token signing keys as means to advance the protection of the public and government cloud environments. This is partly because of an incident in 2023, when hacking group Storm-0558 from China successfully accessed Exchange Online systems and penetrated the private email accounts of dozens of state officials. 

Secure Future Initiative Focus Areas

The SFI project is the most ambitious cybersecurity effort Microsoft has undertaken to date, providing 34,000 engineers dedicated to bulking up the company's defences. It focuses mainly on six critical areas: identity and access control, securing cloud tenants and production systems, strengthening engineering systems, improving network security, enhancing threat detection, and perfecting incident response. By doing all of these broad strokes, the likelihood of any future breach of this scale is reduced.

Mitigating Past Security Mistakes

Analysis by the US Department of Homeland Security's Cyber Safety Review Board had shown that a succession of security lapses at the company allowed these breaches. The inquiry, focused on the Storm-0558 intrusion, had asserted that it was time for Microsoft to strengthen its security posture, which primarily revolved around identity and authentication processes. Based on this, the company has moved very quickly to shore up weaknesses and prevent something similar from happening in the future.

Progress in Key Security Areas

Microsoft says it made strides in several areas in the latest report on SFI.

Unused applications and tenants removed reduce cloud attack surface. In network security, the firm now maintains a central inventory for more than 99% of physical assets, providing greater oversight.

Virtual networks with back-end connectivity are isolated from the corporate networks, which in turn is subjected to even more rigorous security audits. Centralised pipeline templates accounting for 85% of the production builds have been so far a part of the security. Personal access tokens now also have a much shorter life. Proof-of-presence checks are also instituted at the most sensitive points of the software development pipeline. 

Organisational Changes for Better Security

Beyond the technical, there have been organisations which are aimed at ensuring the executives are held responsible for security outcomes. There have been those who tied senior leadership compensation to specific security goals and that the company's threat intelligence team reports directly to the Chief Information Security Officer. This is in the way that it gives the assurance that security is top of the agenda across the organisation.

The Microsoft Secure Future Initiative is a reflection of its attempt to learn from previous failures in the area of security and succeed further in the cloud environment. The company intends to secure itself and, by extension, its customers from future cyber-attacks by enforcing identity verification, reducing attack surfaces, and having a strong network as well as engineering security. Hence, through continuous actions, Microsoft aims to ensure that such instances-where confidential and sensitive data are leaked-would not recur in the future.





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Spam
Doxing Email address IP Address Privacy Sensitive data Spam

Doxing: Is Your Personal Information at Risk?


 

Doxing is the online slang for "dropping documents," which means revealing private information about a person or his identity to the public without his permission. It may be as simple as a person's name, e-mail, or phone number, but it can also include confidential data like financial information, home addresses, and even personal photos. Typically, hackers or cybercrooks do this with the aim of causing harm to that person, either through identity theft, fraud, or embarrassment.

The methods are varied, from hackers involving social media platforms or public databases in obtaining personal information to others using phishing techniques to get sensitive information from unsuspecting individuals. Once out of a computer within, it is no longer within one's control, and the impacts may be dire, touching on every point in an individual's life.


Impact of Doxing on Victims

With private information made public, victims of such situations can easily become victimised with harassment, identity theft, and other kinds of exploitative activities. In many cases, it just feels like a privacy violation; this can evoke feelings of vulnerability and betrayal. Even if the individual responsible is unknown to the victim, they may feel as if they are always in danger.

The extent of damage would also depend on the type of information that is leaked. For instance, if one accesses financial information, then the victims would lose their money when financially victimised to fraud and theft. It is in sensitive photos or private details where reputations get adversely tainted, relationships get harmed in society, or even employment loss. Sensitive data like online search histories can, in extreme cases, lead to even worse consequences: public humiliation.


Why You Shouldn't Leak Your Email Address

You might think that nothing substantial can be generated from your email address, but believe me, it has a fair amount of valuable information attached to it. I mean, sure, you share it with your friends, family, or maybe some business that's running loyalty programs or will mail you receipts. But would you like everyone in the world to have access to it? I didn't think so. Once you send out your email, cyber thieves have an open opportunity to flood your inbox with spam, phishing attempts, or risky malware disguised as legitimate messages. In case you click on any of these links and accidentally let a cyber thief steal your device, it may be compromised.

Beyond spam, hackers can use your email to forge accounts in your name, damaging your reputation online. How dangerous the simple act of gaining access and maliciously using your email address is becomes clear when considering that even the smallest piece of personal information can be dangerous.


Examples of Real Doxing Impact in Life

The outcomes of doxing, at least in some well-publicised instances, can be catastrophic. For Claira Janover, a satirical video that she shot actually found its way onto the internet and led to death threats, including even publicising her home address. She was forced to change her address. Even Deloitte-the firm that had already hired her-now rescinded their job offer, given some online activity that was associated with her professional profile.

The same instance comes in the form of the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing investigation. Here, internet communities like Reddit and 4Chan branded innocent people with incorrect accusations. The anguish of misidentified families had to be bearable while their loved ones' names streamed online as wrongly linked to the attack. These prove that doxing does not only hack privacy but could also have life-altering results.


How to protect yourself from Doxing

Being doxed is inevitable for everyone, but there are many things you can do to avoid falling victim. The number one and perhaps most relevant is practising good cyber safety: lock up the doors, so to speak. Keep your social media accounts private and be very selective of who follows or is connected to you online. Regularly check on your privacy settings and ensure that no one can access sensitive information about you in public media.

This can be enhanced by masking your IP address with a VPN (Virtual Private Network) while making a separate email account for communication, shopping, and all the professional work you do online. Clicking on any suspicious link at any time can harm you: never do it, not even if it looks legit.

Doxing is a serious form of cybercrime, which has deep and far-reaching effects on a victim's personal and professional life. The important thing for an individual to know is that being aware of the danger and taking proactive steps to protect your information is enough to lower the bar for such an attack. Digital privacy protection is the need of today.


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Sensitive data
Cyber Crime Data Encryption Decryption Quantum computing Sensitive data

Why Hackers Are Collecting Encrypted Data for Future Attacks

 



The cybercrime world is ever-changing, and hackers are preparing for a future quantum computer that might make current encryption techniques useless. This is called "harvest now, decrypt later," a rising phenomenon since cybercriminals steal encrypted data with hope for the time when, decrypted, it will become easy using quantum computers. Businesses must be aware of this new threat and use measures of proaction in their data protection.

Encryption has been one of the most essential practices that organisations have been carrying out for years, keeping any of the sensitive information being used to communicate, financial records, and personal information. New advances in quantum computing, however, create a potential danger that today's encryption would be relatively easy to break in the near future. Hackers are aware of this and are more aggressively collecting encrypted data that will wait for the quantum computers' ability to break down cryptographic codes.

Already, it's the reality of cyberattacks. Today, more than 70% of ransomware attacks include exfiltration of data before encrypting it. Cybercriminals are banking on quantum computing ultimately making decryption of taken data possible, no matter how safe they are today.


Threat from Quantum Computing to Encryption

There is a fundamental difference between quantum and traditional computing. In a classical computer, a bit is either one or zero. A qubit in a quantum computer, through superposition characteristic of it, is both one and zero at the same time, so that quantum computers are enabled to calculate at unprecedented speeds on complex calculations.

For instance, it would take a classical computer trillions of years to break a 2,048-bit encryption; a quantum computer can do this in a few seconds. Quantum technology is not available on a massive scale yet, but scientists predict that it will be implemented within ten years, causing hackers to put aside the data they want to encrypt in advance-by storing it encrypted today.


What Data Are Hackers Targeting?

In general terms, hackers have historically been most interested in stealing PII, which includes names, addresses, social security numbers, and even financial information. Such details are patently valuable for identity theft purposes and far more nefarious undertakings. With quantum computing, of course, hackers will no longer be limited to stealing data from databases but rather can intercept data as it travels between the web browser and server or even exploit vulnerabilities existing within internal networks.

This effectively means that companies must be even more careful to safeguard the very foundations of their HR and financial structures, communications, and any partnerships they hold. When quantum computing becomes ubiquitous, no encrypted data will ever remain safe unless new methods impervious to quantum decryption are deployed.


The Quantum Decryption Consequences

As a result, severe consequences will be meted out to businesses if they do not prepare for the quantum era. If hackers decrypt the data, the taken data may lead to initiating account takeovers, revealing identity theft campaigns that may have begun, and running targeted cyberattacks. The average cost of a data breach already runs into millions of dollars; it has risen from $4.35 million in 2022 to $4.45 million in 2023. These figures may see a great uptrend as quantum computing becomes a reality.

On the legal side, one of the main issues is possible legal implications. Companies that cannot protect client information may face billions in penalties and damage their reputation as jurisdictions worldwide are hardening their data protection measures.


Why Begin Preparing Now?

While quantum computing may not be commercially available yet, businesses cannot wait. It may take many years before the average hacker gets his hands on quantum technology, but well-funded groups-nation-states or corporate competitors-will probably soon get to use it. Companies should act now, not just to avoid losing money but to get ahead of advanced cyber threats.

Also, the development in quantum computer technology speeds up quickly. Although current quantum computers are of high price and complexity, a recent breakthrough came from a Chinese startup regarding portable consumer-grade quantum computers; this means that such quantum computers might appear more useful even sooner than thought.


Protecting Businesses Against Quantum Computing Threats

As quantum computing rapidly evolves, businesses need to take decisive actions to protect their data from future risks. Here are key steps to consider:

1. Adopt Post-Quantum Cryptography: Organisations should prioritise implementing encryption methods that are resistant to quantum computing, following the guidelines from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). By transitioning to post-quantum cryptographic standards as soon as they become available, businesses can secure their data from potential quantum-powered attacks.

2. Improve Breach Detection: Strengthening breach detection capabilities is essential. By monitoring for indicators of compromise, businesses can identify potential attacks early, allowing security teams to respond quickly. This could involve changing compromised passwords or encrypting sensitive data before hackers can exploit it.

3. Use Quantum-Safe VPNs: As quantum-safe virtual private networks (VPNs) are developed, they can provide an additional layer of security by protecting data in transit. These VPNs will ensure that hackers cannot intercept sensitive communications or steal data while it is being transmitted between systems.

4. Move Sensitive Data to Secure Locations: Business leaders should evaluate whether decrypted data poses significant risks and move critical information to secure offline storage if necessary. For highly sensitive data, businesses may need to implement segmented networks, strict access controls, or even revert to paper-based systems to protect it from potential quantum threats.


The Time to Act Is Now

With quantum computing on the horizon, businesses must begin preparing for a future where these technologies could be used to break traditional encryption. By adopting quantum-resistant cryptography, improving breach detection, and securely storing sensitive data, companies can reduce the risk of falling victim to quantum-driven cyberattacks. While quantum computers may still be years away, the consequences of failing to prepare could be disastrous. Now is the time for decision-makers to take proactive measures to protect their data before it's too late.


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Sensitive data
API Cyber Security Finance Healthcare NHIs Sensitive data

Why Non-Human Identities Are the New Cybersecurity Nightmare







In April, business intelligence company Sisense fell victim to a critical security breach that exposed all vulnerability in managing non-human identities (NHIs). The hackers accessed the company's GitLab repository that contained hardcoded SSH keys, API credentials, and access tokens. Indeed, this really opened the book on why NHIs are a must and how indispensable they have become in modern digital ecosystems.

Unlike human users, NHIs such as service accounts, cloud instances, APIs, and IoT manage data flow and automate processes. Therefore, in the majority of enterprise networks, with NHIs now far outscaling human users, their security is crucial to prevent cyberattacks and ensure business continuity.

The Threat of Non-Human Identities

With thousands or even millions of NHIs in use within an organisation, no wonder cybercrooks are turning their attention to these. Typically, digital identities are less comprehensively understood and protected, so that easily becomes an easy target for them. In fact, data breaches involving NHIs have already become more widespread, especially as companies increase their usage of cloud infrastructures and automation.

Healthcare and finance are basically soft targets because these industries have strict regulations on compliance. Getting found in violation of standards such as the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) or the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) could come in the form of a fine, reputational damage, and a loss of customer trust.

Why Secure NHIs?

With the complexity of digital ecosystems constantly growing, the security of NHIs becomes all the more important. Companies are drifting toward a "zero-trust" security model, where no user--neither human nor non-human-is trusted by default. Every access request needs to be verified. And especially, this concept has been very effective in decentralised networks that come with large numbers of NHIs.

Locking down NHIs lets the organisations control sensitive data, reduce unauthorised access, and comply with regulation. In the case of Sisense, when management of NHIs is poor, they very soon become a gateway for the cybercriminals.

Best Practices in Managing NHI

To ensure the security of non-human identity, these best practices have to be adopted by an organisation:


 1. Continuous Discovery and Inventory
Automated processes should be in place so that there is always a live inventory of all the NHI across the network. This inventory captures proper details of the owner, permissions, usage patterns, and related risks associated with that NHI. Control and monitoring over these digital identities is enhanced through this live catalog.


 2. Risk-Based Approach
Not all NHIs are the same, however. Some have access to highly sensitive information, while others simply get to perform routine tasks. Companies should have a risk-scoring system that analyses what the NHI has access to, what it accesses in terms of sensitivity, and the effect if broken into.

3. Incident Response Action Plan
A percentage of security will then be allocated based on those with the highest scores. Organisations should have a structured incident response plan aligned with NHIs. They  should also have pre-defined playbooks on the breach related to non-human identities. These playbooks should outline the phases involved in the incident containment, mitigation, and resolution process, as well as the communication protocols with all stakeholders.

4. NHI Education Program
A good education program limits security risks associated with NHI. Developers should be trained on coding secure practices, including the dangers of hardcoded credentials, and operations teams on proper rotation and monitoring NHIs. Regular training ensures that all employees are aware of best practices.


 5. Automated Lifecycle Management
The NHIs will also get instantiated, updated, and retired automatically. Thus, security policies will be enforced for all the identity lifecycle stages. This will eradicate human errors in the form of unused or misconfigured NHIs with possible exploits by attackers.


 6. Non-Human Identity Detection and Response (NHIDR)
The NHIDR tools set baseline behaviour patterns for NHIs and detect the anomaly that could indicate a breach. Organisations can monitor the activities of NHIs with these tools and respond quickly to suspicious behaviour, thereby preventing more breaches.


 7. Change Approval Workflow
In most cases, change approval workflow should be embedded before changes to NHIs like the change of permissions or transfers between systems are affected. The security and IT teams must assess and approve the process so that there are no unnecessary risks developed.

8. Exposure Monitoring and Rapid Response
Organisations must expose NHIs, which means they must identify and resolve the vulnerabilities quickly. Automated monitoring solutions can find exposed credentials or compromised APIs, set off alerts, and initiate incident response procedures before a potentially malicious actor could act.

The Business Case for NHI Management

Investments in the proper management of NHI can produce large, long-term benefits. Companies can prevent data breaches that cost on average $4.45 million per incident and keep money at the bottom line. Simplified NHI process also helps save precious IT resources, thereby redirecting security teams' efforts toward strategic initiatives.

For industries that require high levels of compliance, such as health and finance, much of the NHI management investment often pays for itself through better regulatory compliance. Organisations can innovate more safely, knowing their digital identities are safe, through a good NHI management system.

As businesses start relying more and more on automation and the cloud, it will be based on the solid and well-rounded management of NHI. A good approach toward NHI management would largely prevent security breaches and ensure industry compliance. Such a posture will not only save the data but help the organisation position itself as a long-term winner in the fast-changing digital world.


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Slack
Data Breach Data Hacking data security Disney Disney data leak Disney Slack breach Hacking Group Personal Information Sensitive data Slack

Disney Data Breach Exposes Sensitive Corporate and Personal Information

 

In July, Disney experienced a significant data breach that exposed far more than initially reported, compromising a wide array of sensitive information. While early reports focused on stolen Slack messages, it has since been revealed that the breach extended deep into the company’s critical corporate files. According to sources, hackers gained access to sensitive information, including financial projections, strategic plans, sales data, and streaming forecasts. 

The breach did not stop at corporate data. Hackers also accessed personal information of Disney Cruise Line members, including passport numbers, visa statuses, contact details, and birthplaces. In addition, data related to theme park pass sales was compromised, potentially impacting thousands of visitors. This breach has raised serious concerns about the security of personal data at Disney, one of the world’s most recognized entertainment companies. 

Initially, Disney reported that over a terabyte of data was leaked, but the full extent of the breach is still under investigation. In an August address to investors, the company acknowledged the severity of the attack, prompting questions about the cybersecurity measures in place not only at Disney but also at other major corporations. The incident has highlighted the growing need for robust and effective cybersecurity strategies to protect against increasingly sophisticated cyber threats. The hacking group Nullbulge has claimed responsibility for the attack. 

In a blog post, the group boasted of gaining access to internal data on upcoming projects as well as employee details stored in Disney’s Slack system. This claim has raised further alarms about the potential exposure of sensitive company plans and employee information. When asked to comment on the specifics of the breach, Disney declined to provide details. A spokesperson stated, “We decline to comment on unverified information that has purportedly been obtained as a result of illegal activity.” 

This response underscores the complexity and evolving challenges that companies face in safeguarding sensitive information from cyber threats. As cyber threats become more sophisticated, this breach serves as a stark reminder of the vulnerabilities even within prominent organizations. It emphasizes the urgent need for businesses to strengthen their cybersecurity measures to protect both corporate and personal data from being compromised in an increasingly digital world.
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Toronto
Data Breach Ransomware Security Sensitive data Toronto

Cyberattack on TDSB Exposes Student Data, Sparks Parental Concerns


 

In June 2024, the Toronto District School Board (TDSB), Canada's largest school board, suffered a ransomware attack that compromised the personal information of its students. The incident was first disclosed to the public on June 12, when the TDSB announced that an unauthorised party had accessed one of their technology testing servers. This server, utilised by the board’s IT technicians to test new software, contained sensitive student data from the 2023/2024 academic year.

What Data Was Compromised?

According to an email sent to parents on Thursday, the compromised server held a range of student information. The data accessed during the attack included students' names, school names, grades, TDSB email addresses, student numbers, and dates of birth. While this information was stored in a testing environment rather than a primary database, its exposure is nonetheless concerning, given the potential risks associated with data breaches.

Assessing the Risk

In response to the breach, TDSB officials have been working closely with their cyber security teams and external security partners to assess the situation. As of now, these teams have determined that the risk to students remains low. They have not observed any public disclosure of the compromised data, including on the dark web or other online platforms known for illicit activities. The board has also notified the Privacy Commissioner of Ontario about the potential breach as a precautionary measure.

The news of the cyberattack has sparked concerns among parents, with some feeling that the TDSB’s communication downplayed the seriousness of the incident. Anne Borden, a mother of TDSB students, expressed her dissatisfaction, noting that the board’s response did not instil confidence in their ability to safeguard student information in the future. Borden emphasised the need for the TDSB to prioritise student data security, questioning why crucial resources are allocated to other areas while cybersecurity seemingly takes a backseat.

Ransomware attacks have become an increasing concern for institutions across Toronto, including public organisations. This type of cyberattack involves malicious actors holding data or computer systems hostage until a ransom is paid. Over recent years, several prominent organisations in Toronto, such as the Toronto Public Library, SickKids Hospital, the Toronto Zoo, and the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC), have fallen victim to similar attacks.

The TDSB incident highlights the growing importance of robust cybersecurity measures within educational institutions. As schools increasingly rely on digital tools and platforms, the need to protect sensitive information becomes even more critical. Parents and the community at large are urging the TDSB to take immediate steps to enhance its security protocols and ensure that the personal data of students remains protected.

While the TDSB has stated that the risk to students is currently low, the vulnerability of school systems to cyber threats needs to be kept in check. Moving forward, it is crucial for the TDSB to rebuild trust by implementing stronger security measures and prioritising the safety of student information above all else.



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Sensitive data
Banks CrowdStrike outage Cyber Security Financial Institutions Security Sensitive data

Lessons for Banks from the Recent CrowdStrike Outage

 


The recent disruption caused by CrowdStrike has been a wake-up call for financial institutions, highlighting that no cybersecurity system is entirely foolproof. However, this realisation doesn’t lessen the need for rigorous preparation against potential cyber threats.

What Happened with CrowdStrike?

CrowdStrike, a well-known cybersecurity company based in Austin, Texas, recently faced a major issue that caused extensive system crashes. The problem originated from a software update to their Falcon Sensor, which led to a "logic error." This error caused systems to crash, showing the infamous "Blue Screen of Death" (BSOD). The company later revealed that a pre-deployment test, meant to catch such errors, failed, leading to widespread issues.

This incident impacted various organisations, including big names like ICE Mortgage Technology, Fifth Third Bank (with $214 billion in assets), TD Bank, and Canandaigua National Bank in New York, which holds $5 billion in assets.

The Need for Better Planning

Dave Martin, founder of the advisory firm BankMechanics, emphasised that while such events are often discussed in theoretical terms when planning for worst-case scenarios, they can quickly become real, underscoring the ardent need for being well-prepared.

According to Martin, this event has likely prompted bank leaders around the world to focus even more on their contingency plans and backup strategies. The fact that this outage affected so many organisations shows just how unpredictable such crises can be.

As cybersecurity threats become more common, financial institutions are increasingly focused on their defences. The risks of not being adequately prepared are growing. For example, after a cyberattack in June, Patelco Credit Union in California, which manages $9.6 billion in assets, is now facing multiple lawsuits. These lawsuits claim that the credit union did not properly secure sensitive data, such as Social Security numbers and addresses.

Andrew Retrum, a managing director at Protiviti, a consulting firm specialising in technology risk and resilience, pointed out that while organisations face numerous potential threats, they should focus on creating strong response and recovery strategies for the most likely negative outcomes, like technology failures or site unavailability.

Preparing for Future Cyber Incidents

Experts agree on the importance of having detailed action plans in place to restore operations quickly after a cyber incident. Kim Phan, a partner at Troutman Pepper who specialises in privacy and data security, advises financial institutions to be ready to switch to alternative systems or service providers if necessary. In some cases, this might even mean going back to manual processes to ensure that operations continue smoothly.

Phan also suggests that financial institutions should manage customer expectations, reminding them that the convenience of instant online services is not something that can always be guaranteed.

The CrowdStrike outage is a recurring reminder of how unpredictable cyber threats can be and how crucial it is to be prepared. Financial institutions must learn from this incident, regularly updating their security measures and contingency plans. While technology is essential in protecting against cyber threats, having a solid, human-driven response plan is equally important for maintaining security and stability.

By looking at past cyber incidents in the banking sector, we can draw valuable lessons that will help strengthen the industry's overall defences against future attacks.


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USDoD
Data Breach Data Leak DOD Hackers Information Security Sensitive data Social Security Number USA USDoD

Massive Data Breach Exposes Social Security Numbers of 2.9 Billion People

 


A significant data breach has reportedly compromised the personal information of 2.9 billion people, potentially affecting the majority of Americans. A hacking group known as USDoD claims to have stolen this data, which includes highly sensitive information such as Social Security numbers, full names, addresses, dates of birth, and phone numbers. This development has raised alarm due to the vast scope of the breach and the critical nature of the information involved. The breach was first reported by the Los Angeles Times, which revealed that the hacker group is offering the stolen data for sale. 

The breach allegedly stems from National Public Data, a company that collects and stores personal information to facilitate background checks. The company has not formally confirmed the breach but did acknowledge purging its entire database. According to National Public Data, they have deleted all non-public information, although they stopped short of admitting that the data had been compromised. In April, the hacking group USDoD claimed responsibility for the breach, stating that it had obtained the personal information of billions of people. This led to a class-action lawsuit against National Public Data, as victims sought redress for the potential misuse of their sensitive information. 

The lawsuit has intensified scrutiny on the company’s data security practices, particularly given the critical nature of the information it manages. The potential consequences of this breach are severe. The stolen data, which includes Social Security numbers, could be used for a variety of malicious activities, including identity theft, fraud, and other forms of cybercrime. The scale of the breach also highlights the ongoing challenges in safeguarding personal information, particularly when it is collected and stored by third-party companies. As investigations continue, the breach underscores the urgent need for stronger data protection measures. 

Companies that handle sensitive information must ensure that they have robust security protocols in place to prevent such incidents. The breach also raises questions about the transparency and responsibility of organizations when dealing with personal data. In the meantime, consumers and businesses are on high alert, awaiting further developments and the potential fallout from one of the largest data breaches in history. The incident serves as a stark reminder of the risks associated with data storage and the critical importance of cybersecurity.
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VPN
Cyber Attacks PLCs Security Sensitive data VPN

Ewon Cosy+ Industrial Devices Vulnerable to Serious Security Exploits


 

Recently, severe security flaws were identified in the Ewon Cosy+ industrial remote access devices, which could allow attackers to gain complete control over the systems. This vulnerability presents a serious risk, as it could lead to unauthorised access, allowing attackers to decrypt sensitive data, steal credentials, and hijack VPN sessions to launch further attacks on industrial networks.

Root Access Exploits and VPN Session Hijacking

Security researcher Moritz Abrell from SySS GmbH brought these critical vulnerabilities to light during a presentation at DEF CON 32. The identified flaws could enable attackers to achieve root-level access on Ewon Cosy+ devices, providing them with the ability to decrypt protected firmware and data, such as passwords stored in configuration files. More alarmingly, attackers could obtain valid VPN certificates, enabling them to take over VPN sessions, thereby compromising the security of both the devices and the connected industrial networks.

Ewon, in response to these findings, issued a security update on July 29, 2024, which addresses these vulnerabilities in the latest firmware versions. The update tackles several issues, including data leaks through cookies, cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities, and improper encryption practices. Notably, the update fixes critical issues such as the ability to execute processes with elevated privileges and vulnerabilities that could allow attackers to inject malicious code.

How the Vulnerabilities Were Exploited

The Ewon Cosy+ system relies on a VPN connection that is managed through a platform called Talk2m, which uses OpenVPN for secure communication. Researchers found that it was possible to exploit a command injection vulnerability within the system, allowing unauthorised access to the device. Additionally, a persistent XSS vulnerability was discovered, which could be used to gain administrative control.

One particularly troubling vulnerability involved the storage of session credentials in an unprotected cookie, encoded in Base64. This flaw allows an attacker to gain root access by simply waiting for an administrator to log in to the device. With root access, attackers can install persistent threats, extract encryption keys, and decrypt sensitive firmware files. The presence of a hard-coded encryption key within the system further heightens the risk, as it can be used to extract even more sensitive data.

Risk of VPN Session Takeover

Among the concerning risks associated with these vulnerabilities is the possibility of VPN session hijacking. The Ewon Cosy+ devices communicate with the Talk2m platform via HTTPS, using mutual TLS (mTLS) for authentication. However, the system's reliance on the device's serial number for generating Certificate Signing Requests (CSR) poses a security flaw. An attacker could exploit this weakness by creating a CSR with a serial number matching the target device, thereby hijacking the VPN session and rendering the original device inaccessible.

Once the VPN session is taken over, the attacker can reroute the connection to their infrastructure, potentially intercepting critical data, such as programmable logic controller (PLC) programs, which are essential to the operation of industrial systems.

This is a reminder of the challenges faced in securing industrial remote access solutions. The potential for attackers to gain root access and hijack VPN sessions could have devastating consequences, not only for the individual devices but also for the wider industrial networks they are connected to.

Organisations using Ewon Cosy+ devices are strongly urged to apply the recommended firmware updates immediately and review their security protocols to minimise the risk of exploitation. Regular updates and stringent security practices are essential to protecting industrial systems from the developing threat of cyberattacks.

As attackers continue to exploit weaknesses in remote access tools, it is critical for companies to remain proactive in securing their systems. By addressing these vulnerabilities promptly and ensuring their systems are up to date, organisations can protect their infrastructure from the risks posed by these security flaws.


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