The volume of malicious cyber activity against the Philippines quadrupled in the first quarter of 2024 compared to the same period in 2023.

Source: robertharding via Alamy Stock Photo

A recent massive spike in cyber misinformation and hacking campaigns against the Philippines coincides with rising tensions between the country and its superpower neighbor China.

The cyberattacks consist of a combination of hack and leak (55%), distributed denial-of-service (10%), and misinformation and influence campaigns (35%), according to researchers at Resecurity who have been following the campaigns. The main targets are government (80%) and educational institutions (20%) in the Philippines, and these attacks — on police agencies, government ministries, and universities — and associated data leaks are sowing discontent in the country, according to the researchers.

This represents a four-fold (325%) increase in what the researchers identify as malicious cyber-espionage activity targeting the Philippines in the first quarter of 2024 compared to the same period last year. "The goal of this activity is to discredit the government and create chaos via cyberspace, as the Philippine population also relies on digital media channels and is active on social media networks," says Shawn Loveland, COO of Resecurity.

Resecurity has worked with authorities in the Philippines to trace back the source of attacks to online infrastructures in China and Vietnam. These "false flag" and "other territories" could be allies of China in such campaigns or provide them infrastructure for it, according to Resecurity.

**Fake News**

The goal of the cyberattacks correlates with disinformation campaigns spinning Chinese narratives on topics such as regional disputes about territories in the South China Sea.

In a blog post this month, Resecurity detailed the myriad of different groups associated with this collective activity. In one notable attack, a threat actor going by the alias "KryptonZambie" claimed to have obtained from unnamed sources over 152 gigabytes of stolen data containing Philippine citizen identity cards. Resecurity investigated this claim, which related to a post on Breach Forums, a Dark Web site, but found it unsubstantiated. The threat actor did not respond to any messages Resecurity investigators sent to a Telegram account used to publicize the supposed breach.

Other elements of the campaign involved posting an "audio deepfake" of Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. supposedly ordering military action against China. No such directive exists, according to authorities in the Philippines.

It’s not all fakery, however. Several of the groups covered by Resecurity's report — including  Philippines Exodus Security and DeathNote Hackers — ran attacks that led to a confirmed data breach.

**Not Real Hacktivists**

While some of this activity might resemble that of hactivists, Resecurity believes nation state-backed hackers from China or possibly North Korea (another regional adversary to the Philippines) are really to blame.

Resecurity has reported over 12 government organizations in the Philippines being targeted in the same timeframe — hallmarks of a well-organised co-ordinated attack by nation-state actors rather than independent hacktivists.

"Leveraging hacktivist-related monikers allows threat actors to avoid attribution while creating the perception of homegrown social conflict online," according to Resecurity.

Last year a Chinese state-linked advanced persistent threat (APT) group known as Mustang Panda hacked a Philippine government target via a simple side-loading technique. "This group has a strong focus on Philippines and \[is\] still active," according to Resecurity. Hacks by the group on Philippine government entities have been actively promoted via social media.

In April 2023, more than 800 gigabytes of both applicant and employee records from multiple state agencies — including the Philippine National Police (PNP), National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR), and Special Action Force (SAF) — were compromised.

This was followed in September by a breach and ransomware attack on the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) that led to the exposure of hospital bills, internal memos, and identification documents. There remains an ongoing investigation into the full extent of the leak, according to cyber threat detection firm Gatewatcher.

**Why Spy?**

China (and to a lesser extent North Korea) is the prime suspect in much of this malfeasance, according to both Resecurity and other threat intel experts.

"China is a far more complex and nuanced territory than generally portrayed. Its internal pressures are likely to lead to increased cyber-espionage activity, rather than slowing it down,"  says Ian Thornton-Trump, CISO at threat intel firm Cyjax.

"The PRC's approach to cyberspace has always been to use it to advance its business interests, extracting technologies from Western companies and creating a protected domestic market for these industries, giving them an advantage in the global market," Thornton-Trump notes.

Relations between China and the Philippines have deteriorated over recent months. Beijing condemned Filipino President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s congratulations to Taiwanese President-elect Lai following the latter's recent election. China regards Taiwan as a renegade province.

The Philippines has recently reaffirmed its strong alliance with the United States, announcing plans for "more robust" military activities with the US and its allies, much to the chagrin of China. In addition, the Philippines and China are in dispute over territorial claims involving islands and waters in the South China Sea.

**Incident Response**

The US, Japan, and the Philippines recently entered a cyber threat-sharing arrangement in the wake of rising attacks by China, North Korea, and Russia, a development likely to help the Philippines stay on top of the growing tide of cyberthreats.

Understanding the pattern of upsurge in malign cyber activity is the first step towards combatting it, experts say. "\[With\] a better understanding of the country's internal forces, and how these relate to its cyber strategy, we can plan better defenses against PRC cyber espionage," Cyjax's Thornton-Trump says.

Resecurity offered recommendations to safeguard both the populace and Philippine business from cyberattacks:

*   Accelerate digital identity protection of Philippine citizens — as hack and leak activity is putting their personal data at risk of being exposed.
    
*   Tighten Web application security by implementing WAFs (web application firewalls) and ongoing vulnerability assessment and pen-testing automation procedures to detect and contain vulnerabilities before bad actors exploit them.
    
*   Create fact-checking services online to combat disinformation and influence campaigns. Citizens should be offered a process for reporting suspicious online activity.
    

**About the Author(s)**

John Leyden is an experienced cybersecurity writer, having previously written for the Register and Daily Swig.

Image source: Dorota Szymczyk via Alamy Stock Photo

Philippines Pummeled by Assortment of Cyberattacks &amp; Misinformation Tied to China

The business intelligence servers contain vulnerabilities that Qlik patched last year, but which Cactus actors have been exploiting since November. Swathes of organizations have not yet been patched.

Source: S. Bonaime via Shutterstock

Nearly five months after security researchers warned of the Cactus ransomware group leveraging a set of three vulnerabilities in Qlik Sense data analytics and business intelligence (BI) platform, many organizations remain dangerously vulnerable to the threat.

Qlik disclosed the vulnerabilities in August and September. The company's August disclosure involved two bugs in multiple versions of Qlik Sense Enterprise for Windows tracked as CVE-2023-41266 and CVE-2023-41265. The vulnerabilities, when chained, give a remote, unauthenticated attacker a way to execute arbitrary code on affected systems. In September, Qlik disclosed CVE-2023-48365, which turned out to be a bypass of Qlik's fix for the previous two flaws from August.

Gartner has ranked Qlik as one of the top data visualization and BI vendors in the market.

**Continued Exploitation of Qlik Security Bugs**

Two months later, Arctic Wolf reported observing operators of Cactus ransomware exploiting the three vulnerabilities to gain an initial foothold in target environments. At the time, the security vendor said it was responding to multiple instances of customers encountering attacks via the Qlik Sense vulnerabilities and warned of the Cactus group campaign as being rapidly developing.

Even so, many organization appear not to have received the memo. A scan by researchers at Fox-IT on April 17 uncovered a total of 5,205 Internet-accessible Qlik Sense servers, of which 3,143 servers were still vulnerable to Cactus group's exploits. Of that number, 396 servers appeared to be located in the US. Other countries with a relatively high number of vulnerable Qlik Sense servers include Italy with 280, Brazil with 244 and Netherlands and Germany with 241 and 175 respectively.

Fox-IT is among a group of security organizations in the Netherlands — including the Dutch Institute for Vulnerability Disclosure (DIVD) — working collaboratively under the aegis of an effort called Project Melissa, to disrupt Cactus group operations.

Upon discovering the vulnerable servers, Fox-IT relayed its fingerprints and scan data to DIVD, which then began contacting administrators of the vulnerable Qlik Sense servers about their organization's exposure to potential Cactus ransomware attacks. In some instances, DIVD sent the notifications out directly to potential victims while in others the organization attempted to relay the information to them via their respective country computer emergency response teams.

**Security Orgs Are Notifying Potential Cactus Ransomware Victims**

The ShadowServer Foundation is also reaching out to at-risk organizations. In a critical alert this week, the nonprofit threat intelligence service described the situation as one where a failure to remediate could leave organizations at a very high likelihood of compromise.

"If you receive an alert from us on a vulnerable instance detected in your network or constituency, please also assume compromise of your instance and possibly your network," ShadowServer said. "Compromised instances are determined remotely by checking for the presence of files with .ttf or .woff file extension."

Fox-IT said it had identified at least 122 Qlik Sense instances as likely compromised via the three vulnerabilities. Forty-nine of them were in the US; 13 in Spain; 11 in Italy; and the rest scattered across 17 other countries. "When the indicator of compromise artefact is present on a remote Qlik Sense server, it can imply various scenarios," Fox-IT said. It could for instance, suggest that the attackers executed code remotely on the server, or it could simply be an artifact from a previous security incident.

"It's crucial to understand that 'already compromised' can mean that either the ransomware has been deployed and the initial access artifacts left behind were not removed, or the system remains compromised and is potentially poised for a future ransomware attack," Fox-IT said.

**About the Author(s)**

Jai Vijayan is a seasoned technology reporter with over 20 years of experience in IT trade journalism. He was most recently a Senior Editor at Computerworld, where he covered information security and data privacy issues for the publication. Over the course of his 20-year career at Computerworld, Jai also covered a variety of other technology topics, including big data, Hadoop, Internet of Things, e-voting, and data analytics. Prior to Computerworld, Jai covered technology issues for The Economic Times in Bangalore, India. Jai has a Master's degree in Statistics and lives in Naperville, Ill.

Thousands of Qlik Sense Servers Open to Cactus Ransomware

The semiconductor manufacturing giant's security team describes how hardware hackathons, such as Hack@DAC, have helped chip security by finding and sharing hardware vulnerabilities.

Source: kawin ounprasertsuk via Alamy Stock Photo

Ever since the first Hack@DAC hacking competition in 2017, thousands of security engineers have helped discover hardware-based vulnerabilities, develop mitigation methods, and perform root cause analysis of issues found.

Intel initially decided to organize the competition, which draws security professionals from academia and industry partners around the world, to raise awareness about hardware-based vulnerabilities and to promote the need for more detection tools, says Arun Kanuparthi, a principal engineer and offensive security researcher at Intel. Another goal behind Hack@DAC, capture-the-flag competitions, and other hackathonsis to draw the attention of chip designers, to motivate them to design silicon more securely, he says.

"There is very little awareness of hardware security weaknesses in general," says Kanuparthi, who spoke about lessons Intel learned from years running Hack@DAC at the recent Black Hat Asia conference in Singapore. "And we thought, really, how can we get this awareness amongst the security research community?"

"If you look at software, there are lots of tools for security, with software or firmware, but when you look at hardware, there are really only a handful of EDA or electronic design automation tools," Kanuparthi says.

These kinds of events are effective for bringing people together to find vulnerabilities and share their knowledge. CTFs are established methods for teaching and learning new skills and best practices. Intel also believes it is important to give students "an experience of what it feels like to be a security researcher at a design company," says Kanuparthi.

Intel is now accepting entries for the 2024 Hack@DAC, which will take place in June in San Francisco.

**Tackling Hard Problems**

When Intel first organized Hack@DAC, there was no standard design or open-source platform for discovering or sharing information on hardware vulnerabilities, says Hareesh Khattri, a principal engineer for offensive security research at Intel. That has changed with Intel’s collaboration with Texas A&M University and Technical University of Darmstadt in Germany. The professors and students took open-source projects and inserted existing hardware vulnerabilities to create a common framework for detecting them and new ones.

"And now a lot of hardware security research papers have also started citing this work," Khattri says.

In 2020, Intel joined other semiconductor manufacturers in aligning with MITRE’s Common Weakness Enumeration (CWE) team, which lists and classifies potential vulnerabilities in software, hardware and firmware to bring more focus to hardware.  It was an attempt to address a gap, since MITRE only maintained software weakness types, and CWE fell short of addressing root cause analyses of hardware vulnerabilities, Kanuparthi recalls.

"If a hardware issue was identified, \[the CWE\] would be tagged with some generic catch-all kind of \[alert that said\] there’s a problem or the system does not work as expected," Kanuparthi says. "But now there is a design view for hardware which you can root cause that this is specifically the problem. And that has largely been the output of some of the work that we have been doing that led to hack attack and the creation of the hybrid CWE."

As semiconductor manufacturers accelerate their focus on adding designs that can support new AI capabilities, security researchers are looking to identify weaknesses even closer to hardware design, Khattri adds. That has accelerated interest in new efforts like the Google-contributed OpenTitan Project, an open-source reference design and integration guidelines for securing root of trust RoT chips.

The efforts behind Hack@DAC and Intel’s work with MITRE on CWE have led to improved tooling, Khattri says. For example, hardware vulnerability assessment tool provider Cycuity (which uses OpenTitan as a benchmark for how its tool measures CWEs) claims its Radix can now identify 80% of known hardware weaknesses in the CWE database.

"We’ve seen a lot of progression in this space compared to when we started it," Khattri says. "Now, a lot of security research communities’ focus has gone towards trying to identify weaknesses that are closer to the hardware design."

**About the Author(s)**

Jeffrey Schwartz is a journalist who has covered information security and all forms of business and enterprise IT, including client computing, data center and cloud infrastructure, and application development for more than 30 years. Jeff is a regular contributor to Channel Futures. Previously, he was editor-in-chief of Redmond magazine and contributed to its sister titles Redmond Channel Partner, Application Development Trends, and Virtualization Review. Earlier, he held editorial roles with CommunicationsWeek, InternetWeek, and VARBusiness. Jeff is based in the New York City suburb of Long Island.

Intel Harnesses Hackathons to Tackle Hardware Vulnerabilities

By Waqas
In 2024, integrated residential security solutions are vital for comprehensive protection against evolving threats, safeguarding homes and families with advanced technology and seamless connectivity.
This is a post from HackRead.com Read the original post: Integrated Residential Security Solutions to Employ in 2024

As we progress through 2024, home security is rapidly advancing, with a notable shift towards integrated residential security solutions. These systems are the cornerstone of keeping your living space safe, using cutting-edge Internet of Things (IoT) technologies to provide comprehensive protection. 

Your home can now be outfitted with a suite of smart security devices, ranging from intelligent alarms to automated surveillance cameras, all working in unison to offer round-the-clock monitoring and real-time alerts.

With the increase in smart home devices, your home’s network faces many cyber threats. Robust firewalls, encrypted Wi-Fi systems, and consistent software updates are essential to safeguard your domain from potential digital breaches. 

Image: Hackread.com

Embracing these sophisticated security systems empowers you to create a safer and smarter home environment. Whether through enhanced connectivity that allows for seamless control over your security devices or via improved sensors that detect the slightest anomalies, your home security is now more reliable and intuitive. 

****Evolving Technologies in Home Security****

You’ll find now more than ever that your home’s defense is revolutionized by smart technologies that adapt and learn. These innovations are not only enhancing security but also ensuring seamless compatibility with your digital lifestyle.

****Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning****

To keep your home safe, Artificial Intelligence and machine learning are no longer just buzzwords—they are crucial components that drive modern security systems. 

Large-scale AI models in residential security mean your system can now accurately detect potential threats by distinguishing between normal and suspicious behaviors. This intelligence layer allows for proactive measures, significantly minimizing false alarms that were once a common nuisance.

****IoT and Smart Device Integration****

The intersection of IoT and home security forms a network of smart devices working in concert to safeguard your premises. 

Your security setup extends beyond traditional alarms, incorporating smart locks, cameras, and lighting to create a responsive environment. Integration with IoT devices ensures your home responds intuitively to various scenarios, such as adjusting lights and lock settings as you arrive or depart.

****Cloud and Edge Computing****

Your security system’s efficiency and scalability are vastly improved thanks to cloud computing, which provides reliable data storage and remote access to your system. Meanwhile, edge computing takes processing closer to the data source—your home’s security devices. 

This means faster responses to security triggers and less reliance on bandwidth, as data can be processed locally. The harmonious combination of cloud and edge computing improves reliability and streamlines the management of your home security infrastructure.

****Enhanced Surveillance and Monitoring Solutions****

State-of-the-art surveillance technology is key to ensuring the safety of residential spaces. These systems leverage advanced sensors and artificial intelligence to provide real-time alerts and high-quality video imaging, transforming traditional security measures.

****Advanced Camera Technologies****

Modern security cameras come equipped with intelligent noise reduction and superior imaging capabilities. 

This ensures you receive clear videos, reducing false alarms due to poor image quality. Enhanced low-light performance is now a standard feature, providing better surveillance, even in dim conditions.

****AI-Driven Surveillance****

Surveillance systems have grown smarter, incorporating AI technology to analyze video feeds in real time. This means your cameras can distinguish between routine movements and potential security threats, allowing for accurate alarms and alerts. 

AI-driven multi-family residential security camera solutions can aid in recognizing suspicious activities quickly, bolstering the security of private residences.

****Real-Time Monitoring and Alerts****

Your security solution can offer real-time monitoring, with the ability to automatically notify you or dispatch personnel when an incident occurs. 

Cameras and remote monitoring services provide constant vigilance for your property. Should an incident occur, you will be immediately informed with a detailed alert, enabling swift response and ensuring your peace of mind.

****Security Systems Implementation****

When choosing the optimal security system for your home, it’s essential to understand the installation process, recognize the significance of digital identity and authentication, and ensure the solution is tailored to meet your specific needs.

****Professional vs. DIY Installation****

The decision between professional installation and DIY solutions depends largely on your comfort level with technology and specific security needs. 

With professional installation, you’re guaranteed expert setup and continued professional monitoring. 

On the other hand, DIY installation provides a more hands-on approach and may be cost-effective if you have technical proficiency.

****Digital Identity and Authentication****

Incorporating digital identity and authentication into your residential security system adds a robust layer of protection. Reflecting on FTX’s downfall, it’s evident how vital stringent security measures are in any technology-dependent system, preventing unauthorized access and ensuring the integrity of sensitive information. 

Such systems usually involve biometric scanners or advanced code encryption, providing a more personalized and secure method for access control.

****Customization for Specific Needs****

Your home’s security system should be as unique as your household’s. Customization can range from selecting cameras with advanced motion detection to installing smart locks that integrate with your entire home automation system. Identify your specific needs to determine the features that will best secure your residence.

****Innovative Access Control Systems****

Innovative access control systems have evolved to offer not only enhanced security but also user convenience and system efficiency. 

From unlocking doors with a simple facial scan to managing access rights via sophisticated digital models, these systems are transforming residential security.

****Biometric and Facial Recognition****

Biometric security systems utilize your unique physical characteristics to ensure that only authorized individuals can access your home. 

Facial recognition technology, an integral part of this security approach, provides a touchless, fast, and secure method to manage entry. The security industry has embraced this technology for its ability to combine convenience with robust security.

****Smart Lock Technologies****

Smart locks represent a revolutionary step in home security, offering you the ability to control and monitor your door locks remotely. 

Characterized by home Wi-Fi connectivity or Bluetooth, these locks can integrate with your smart home systems, allowing real-time alerts and remote access management. They contribute significantly to your security and sustainability by reducing the need for physical keys and waste.

****Digital Twin Access Management****

The application of digital twin technology in access control refers to a virtual representation of your physical security system. You can visualize and manage the flow of people within your home in a secure digital environment. 

By layering this technology onto access point systems (APS), you gain a comprehensive view that enhances financial security and physical safety. Digital twins in security may also integrate with blockchain technology, offering a decentralized approach that can bolster security protocols.

****Conclusion****

With enhanced connectivity and smarter algorithms, your home security system in 2024 integrates flawlessly across devices. Your standard video systems are upgraded to advanced sensors and high-definition video capabilities, providing you with crisp imagery and precise detection of events.

Cybersecurity is no longer an afterthought in your connected home. Employing strong firewalls, encrypted Wi-Fi systems, and consistent software updates will help safeguard your digital assets on top of the physical ones. Moreover, cloud technology brings a new layer of convenience and efficiency. Your security feeds, storage, and real-time alerts are accessible anytime, anywhere, providing a seamless user experience.

By incorporating these integrated security solutions, your home remains a sanctuary, fortified against potential threats and giving you the peace of mind you deserve.

1.  The Pros and Cons of Smart Homes
2.  NDR in the Modern Cybersecurity Landscape
3.  Top 3 Cybersecurity Tools to Protect Business Data
4.  Cybersecurity for Startups: Best Tips and Strategies
5.  IT and Cybersecurity Jobs in the Age of Emerging AI Tech

Integrated Residential Security Solutions to Employ in 2024

Eight out of nine apps that people use to input Chinese characters into mobile devices have weakness that allow a passive eavesdropper to collect keystroke data.

Source: badboydt7 via Shutterstock

Nearly all keyboard apps that allow users to enter Chinese characters into their Android, iOS, or other mobile devices are vulnerable to attacks that allow an adversary to capture the entirety of their keystrokes.

This includes data such as login credentials, financial information, and messages that would otherwise be end-to-end encrypted, a new study by Toronto University's Citizen Lab has uncovered.

**Ubiquitous Problem**

For the study, researchers at the lab considered cloud-based Pinyin apps (which render Chinese characters into words spelled with roman letters) from nine vendors selling to users in China: Baidu, Samsung, Huawei, Tencent, Xiaomi, Vivo, OPPO, iFlytek, and Honor. Their investigation showed all but the app from Huawei to be transmitting keystroke data to the cloud in a manner that enabled a passive eavesdropper to read the contents in clear text and with little difficulty. Citizen Lab researchers, who have earned a reputation over the years for exposing multiple cyber espionage, surveillance, and other threats targeted at mobile users and civil society, said each of them contain at least one exploitable vulnerability in how they handle transmissions of user keystrokes to the cloud.

The scope of vulnerabilities should not be underestimated, Citizen Lab researchers Jeffrey Knockel, Mona Wang and Zoe Reichert wrote in a report summarizing their findings this week: The researchers from Citizen Lab found that 76% of keyboard app users in mainland China, in fact, use a Pinyin keyboard to input Chinese characters.

"All of the vulnerabilities that we covered in this report can be exploited entirely passively without sending any additional network traffic," the researchers said. And to boot, the vulnerabilities were easy to discover and do not require any technological sophistication to exploit, they noted.  "As such, we might wonder, are these vulnerabilities actively under mass exploitation?"

Each of the vulnerable Pinyin keyboard apps that Citizen Lab examined had both a local, on-device component and a cloud-based prediction service for handling long strings of syllables and particularly complex characters. Of the nine apps they looked at, three were from mobile software developers — Tencent, Baidu, and iFlytek. The remaining five were apps that Samsung, Xiaomi, OPPO, Vivo, and Honor — all mobile device manufacturers — had either developed on their own or had integrated into their devices from a third-party developer.

**Exploitable via Active & Passive Methods**

Methods of exploitation differ for each app. Tencent's QQ Pinyin app for Android and Windows for instance had a vulnerability that allowed the researchers to create a working exploit for decrypting keystrokes via active eavesdropping methods. Baidu's IME for Windows contained a similar vulnerability, for which Citizen Lab created a working exploit for decrypting keystroke data via both active and passive eavesdropping methods.

The researchers found other encrypted related privacy and security weaknesses in the Baidu's iOS and Android versions but did not develop exploits for them. iFlytek's app for Android had a vulnerability that allowed a passive eavesdropper to recover in plaintext keyboard transmissions because of insufficient mobile encryption.

On the hardware vendor side, Samsung's homegrown keyboard app offered no encryption at all and instead sent keystroke transmissions in the clear. Samsung also offers users the option of either using Tencent's Sogou app or an app from Baidu on their devices. Of the two apps, Citizen Lab identified Baidu's keyboard app as being vulnerable to attack.

The researchers were unable to identify any issue with Vivo's internally developed Pinyin keyboard app but had a working exploit for a vulnerability they discovered in a Tencent app that is also available on Vivo's devices.

The third-party Pinyin apps (from Baidu, Tencent, and iFlytek) that are available with devices from the other mobile device makers all had exploitable vulnerabilities as well.

These are not uncommon issues, it turns out. Last year, Citizen Labs had conducted a separate investigation in Tencent's Sogou — used by some 450 million people in China — and found vulnerabilities that exposed keystrokes to eavesdropping attacks.

"Combining the vulnerabilities discovered in this and our previous report analyzing Sogou's keyboard apps, we estimate that up to one billion users are affected by these vulnerabilities," Citizen Lab said.

The vulnerabilities could enable mass surveillance of Chinese mobile device users — including by signals intelligence services belonging to the so-called Five Eyes nations — US, UK, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand — Citizen Lab said; the vulnerabilities in the keyboard apps that Citizen Lab discovered in its new research are very similar to vulnerabilities in the China-developed UC browser that intelligence agencies from these countries exploited for surveillance purposes, the report noted.

**About the Author(s)**

Jai Vijayan is a seasoned technology reporter with over 20 years of experience in IT trade journalism. He was most recently a Senior Editor at Computerworld, where he covered information security and data privacy issues for the publication. Over the course of his 20-year career at Computerworld, Jai also covered a variety of other technology topics, including big data, Hadoop, Internet of Things, e-voting, and data analytics. Prior to Computerworld, Jai covered technology issues for The Economic Times in Bangalore, India. Jai has a Master's degree in Statistics and lives in Naperville, Ill.

Chinese Keyboard Apps Open 1B People to Eavesdropping

Recent trends in breaches and attack methods offer a valuable road map to cybersecurity professionals tasked with detecting and preventing the next big thing.

Source: YAY Media AS via Alamy Stock Photo

Cybersecurity is constantly evolving and, as such, requires regular vigilance.

Microsoft analyzes more than 78 trillion security signals every day to better understand the latest attack vectors and techniques. Since last year, we noticed a shift in how threat actors are scaling and leveraging nation-state support. It's clear that organizations continue to experience more attacks than ever before, and attack chains are growing more complex. Dwell times have shortened and tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs) have evolved to become nimbler and more evasive in nature. 

Informed by these insights, here are five attack trends end-user organizations should be monitoring regularly.

**Achieving Stealth By Avoiding Custom Tools and Malware**

Some threat actor groups are prioritizing stealth by leveraging tools and processes that already exist on their victims' devices. This allows adversaries to slip under the radar and go undetected by obscuring their actions alongside other threat actors that are using similar methods to launch attacks. 

An example of this trend can be seen with Volt Typhoon, a Chinese state-sponsored actor that made headlines for targeting US critical infrastructure with living-off-the-land techniques.

**Combining Cyber and Influence Operations for Greater Impact**

Nation-state actors have also created a new category of tactics that combines cyber operations and influence operations (IO) methods. Known as "cyber-enabled influence operations," this hybrid combines cyber methods — such as data theft, defacement, distributed denial-of-service, and ransomware — with influence methods — like data leaks, sockpuppets, victim impersonation, misleading social media posts, and malicious SMS/email communication — to boost, exaggerate, or compensate for shortcomings in adversaries' network access or cyberattack capabilities. 

For example, Microsoft has observed multiple Iranian actors attempting to use bulk SMS messaging to enhance the amplification and psychological effects of their cyber-influence operations. We're also seeing more cyber-enabled influence operations attempt to impersonate purported victim organizations or leading figures in those organizations to add credibility to the effects of the cyberattack or compromise.

**Creating Covert Networks By Targeting SOHO Network Edge Devices**

Particularly relevant for distributed or remote employees is the rising abuse of small-office/home-office (SOHO) network edge devices. More and more, we're seeing threat actors use target SOHO devices — such as the router in a local coffee shop — to assemble covert networks. Some adversaries will even use programs to locate vulnerable endpoints around the world and identify jumping-off points for their next attack. This technique complicates attribution, making attacks appear from virtually anywhere.

**Rapidly Adopting Publicly Disclosed POCs for Initial Access and Persistence **

Microsoft has increasingly observed certain nation-state subgroups adopting publicly disclosed proof-of-concept (POC) code shortly after it is released to exploit vulnerabilities in Internet-facing applications.

This trend can be seen in threat groups like Mint Sandstorm, an Iranian nation-state actor that rapidly weaponized N-day vulnerabilities in common enterprise applications and conducted highly targeted phishing campaigns to quickly and successfully access environments of interest.

**Prioritizing Specialization Within the Ransomware Economy**

We've been observing a continued move toward ransomware specialization. Rather than carry out an end-to-end ransomware operation, threat actors are choosing to focus on a small range of capabilities and services. 

This specialization has a splintering effect, spreading components of a ransomware attack across multiple providers in a complex underground economy. No longer can companies think of ransomware attacks as just coming from an individual threat actor or group. Instead, they may be combating the entire ransomware-as-a-service economy. In response, Microsoft Threat Intelligence now tracks ransomware providers individually, noting which groups traffic in initial access and which offer other services.

As cyber defenders look for more effective ways to harden their security posture, it's important to reference and learn from significant trends and breaches in years past. By analyzing these incidents and understanding different adversaries' motives and favored TTPs, we can better prevent similar breaches from happening in the future.

— Read more Partner Perspectives from Microsoft Security

**About the Author(s)**

Microsoft

Protect it all with Microsoft Security.

Microsoft offers simplified, comprehensive protection and expertise that eliminates security gaps so you can innovate and grow in a changing world. Our integrated security, compliance, and identity solutions work across platforms and cloud environments, providing protection without compromising productivity.

We help customers simplify the complex by prioritizing risks with unified management tools and strategic guidance created to maximize the human expertise inside your company. Our unparalleled AI is informed by trillions of signals so you can detect threats quickly, respond effectively, and fortify your security posture to stay ahead of ever-evolving threats.

5 Attack Trends Organizations of All Sizes Should Be Monitoring

Hackers can influence voters with media and breach campaigns, or try tampering with votes. Or they can combine these tactics to even greater effect.

Source: Lennart Worthmann via Alamy Stock Photo

If history has anything to tell us, the most significant cyber threat to this year's elections won't be a leak, a distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attack, or a fake news video. Instead, it will be some combination of these or more.

In cyberspace's salad days, hackers caused all kinds of fuss using simple, direct methods: hiding viruses in advertisements, hacking websites with easily guessed passwords, and so on. While that still happens, attackers often have to get more creative by chaining multiple tactics together in order to achieve their goals, thanks to greater cybersecurity awareness and protections.

So too with elections. In 2006, aides to Joe Lieberman's presidential campaign had to resort to their personal emails when a DoS attack froze their IT systems. A decade later, famously, came the Podesta email leak. Now, according to Mandiant, part of Google Cloud, the most potent threats to the democratic process are chained attacks.

"In the most significant cyber incidents targeting elections that Mandiant has tracked, threat actors have deliberately layered multiple tactics in hybrid operations in such a way that the effect of each component magnifies the others," the firm wrote in a new report.

**Combination Election Attacks**

One case study Mandiant pointed to occurred in 2014 when Ukraine's presidential elections were interrupted by a Russian cyber onslaught, following the ouster of its pro-Russian president Viktor Yanukovich, and Russia's invasion of Crimea.

A week before election day, Russian actors hiding behind the hacktivist moniker "Cyber Berkut" struck websites relating to NATO and Ukrainian media outlets with DDoS attacks. That set the stage for when, with four days to go, the same fake hacktivist group broke into the country's central election computers and deleted files and rendered the vote tallying system inoperable.

A day later, they added to the chaos by breaking more election infrastructure, then leaking the emails and documents stored there to the wider Internet. Lastly, just 40 minutes before election results were to be broadcast to the public, the country's Central Election Commission reportedly removed some kind of virus that was designed to present fake results in favor of the far-right, ultra-nationalist candidate.

This extreme brand of combination cyber warfare might have only happened in a country experiencing such upheaval, but other chained cyberattacks have struck more-stable democracies since.

In 2020, two 20-something Iranian nationals carried out a campaign against multiple US states' voting-related websites. They managed to obtain confidential voter information from at least one of them, which they used to send intimidating and misleading emails, including by spreading a video with disinformation about election infrastructure vulnerabilities. They also breached one media company, which, as the Department of Justice noted, could have provided them another channel through which to disseminate their false claims.

"Leaks are particularly powerful. Potentially more powerful when boosted through the compromise of legitimate media," says John Hultquist, chief analyst with Mandiant Intelligence at Google Cloud.

The breach/fake news ploy is a potent concoction. "These disinformation efforts are often orchestrated by state-backed entities from nations such as China, Russia, and Iran," warns Madison Horn, herself a 2024 candidate running for a congressional seat in Oklahoma's 5th district. "Their impact is undeniable, as seen in instances like Russia’s involvement in the 2016 US election and China’s ongoing global influence operations, which starkly demonstrate their capacity to sway public opinion and disrupt electoral integrity."

**The Threat From Cybercrime**

It's not only state-sponsored actors that pose a threat to the democratic process, Mandiant noted. Insiders, hacktivists, and cybercriminals all muddy the waters in their own ways.

In most cases, "The avenues for these campaigns are popular social media platforms — X, Telegram, Facebook — and YouTube, making the digital battlefield as accessible as it is dangerous," Horn warns.

From January 2023 to March 2024, the cybersecurity firm BrandShield tracked suspicious new social media accounts and web domains relating to Joe Biden's and Donald Trump's presidential campaigns. It found hundreds of imposter accounts across social media sites, as well as 2,335 suspect websites claiming some sort of affiliation with the president and 9,639 for the former president (helped by a 197% boost following his arrest in August).

Fake Trump site. Source: BrandShield

Fake sites and accounts are useful for spreading scams or malware and for stealing funds that voters intended to go to candidates, or they can be used in concert with other tactics to achieve greater ends.

"They can be used to get people's information, and maybe try to influence their views by distributing fake news," says BrandShield CEO Yoav Keren, formerly an adviser in the Israeli Knesset. "I would even think that they can use these platforms to interact with real people from the campaigns, to infiltrate their systems. These impersonations can be used in a lot of different ways."

"I don't want to give too many good ideas to the bad guys," he says, "but they usually come up with them before I do."

**About the Author(s)**

Nate Nelson is a freelance writer based in New York City. Formerly a reporter at Threatpost, he contributes to a number of cybersecurity blogs and podcasts. He writes "Malicious Life" -- an award-winning Top 20 tech podcast on Apple and Spotify -- and hosts every other episode, featuring interviews with leading voices in security. He also co-hosts "The Industrial Security Podcast," the most popular show in its field.

The Biggest 2024 Elections Threat: Kitchen-Sink Attack Chains

Mobile malware-as-a-service operators are upping their game by automatically churning out hundreds of unique samples on a whim.

Source: Wodthikorn Phutthasatchathum via Alamy Stock Photo

North of 1,000 samples of the Godfather mobile banking Trojan are circulating in dozens of countries worldwide, targeting hundreds of banking apps.

First discovered in 2022, Godfather — which can record screens and keystrokes, intercepts two-factor authentication (2FA) calls and texts, initiates bank transfers, and more — has quickly become one of the most widespread malware-as-a-service offerings in cybercrime, especially mobile cybercrime. According to Zimperium's 2023 "Mobile Banking Heists Report," as of late last year, Godfather was targeting 237 banking apps spread across 57 countries. Its affiliates exfiltrated stolen financial information to at least nine countries, primarily in Europe and including the US.

All that success drew attention, so, to prevent security software from spoiling the party, Godfather's developers have been automatically generating new samples for their customers at a near industrial scale.

Other mobile malware developers across the spectrum have started doing the same thing. "What we're seeing is that malware campaigns are starting to get bigger and bigger," warns Nico Chiaraviglio, chief scientist at Zimperium, who will host a session on this and other mobile malware trends at RSAC in May.

Besides Godfather and other known families, Chiaraviglio is tracking an even bigger, still-under-wraps mobile malware family with more than 100,000 unique samples in the wild. "So that's crazy," he says. "We haven't seen that number of samples in a single malware before, ever. This is definitely a trend."

**Banking Trojans Spawn Hundreds of Samples**

Mobile security is already lagging far behind security for desktops. "In the '90s, no one was really using antivirus on desktop computers, and that's kind of where we are now. Today, only one of four users are really using some sort of mobile protection. Twenty-five percent of devices are completely unprotected, compared with desktop, at 85%," Chiaraviglio laments.

Mobile threats, meanwhile, are leveling up fast. One way they're doing so is by generating so many different iterations that antivirus programs — which profile malware by their unique signatures — have trouble correlating one infection with the next.

Consider that at the time of its initial discovery in 2022, according to Chiaraviglio, there were fewer than 10 samples of Godfather in the wild. By the end of last year, that number had risen a hundredfold.

Its developers have clearly been autogenerating unique samples for customers to help them avoid detection. "They could just be scripting everything — that would be a way to automate it. Another way would be to use large language models, as code assistance can really speed up the development process," Chiaraviglio says.

Other banking Trojan developers have followed the same approach, if at a lesser scale. In December, Zimperium tallied 498 samples of Godfather's close competitor, Nexus, 300 samples of Saderat, and 123 of PixPirate.

**Can Security Software Keep Up?**

Security solutions that tag malware by signature will find difficulty keeping track of hundreds and thousands of samples per family.

"Maybe there is a lot of code reuse between different samples," Chiaraviglio says, something he suggests adaptive solutions can use to correlate related malware with different signatures. Alternatively, instead of the code itself, defenders can use artificial intelligence (AI) to focus on the behaviors of the malware. With a model that can do that, Chiaraviglio says, "it doesn't really matter how much you change the code or the way the application looks, we will still be able to detect it."

But, he admits, "at the same time, this is always a race. We do something \[to adjust\], then the attacker does something to evolve to our predictions. \[For example\], they can ask \[a large language model\] to mutate their code as much as it can. This would be the realm of polymorphic malware, which is not something that happens a lot on mobile, but we might start seeing way more of that."

**About the Author(s)**

Nate Nelson is a freelance writer based in New York City. Formerly a reporter at Threatpost, he contributes to a number of cybersecurity blogs and podcasts. He writes "Malicious Life" -- an award-winning Top 20 tech podcast on Apple and Spotify -- and hosts every other episode, featuring interviews with leading voices in security. He also co-hosts "The Industrial Security Podcast," the most popular show in its field.

Godfather Banking Trojan Spawns 1.2K Samples Across 57 Countries

Plus, new details emerge on the Scattered Spider cybercrime network and ArcaneDoor.

Thursday, April 25, 2024 14:00

I wrote last week about the problems arising from the massive backlog of vulnerabilities at the U.S. National Vulnerability Database.  

Thousands of CVEs are still without analysis data, and the once-reliable database of every single vulnerability that’s disclosed and/or patched is now so far behind, it could take up to 100 days for the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to catch up, and that would be assuming no new vulnerabilities are disclosed during that period. 

While the U.S. government and NIST try to sort out a potential solution, and hopefully await more funding and restructuring, NIST says it’s hoping to launch a consortium to help either rebuild the NVD or create a replacement.  

Other security experts have floated the idea of other companies or organizations creating a brand-new solution of their own. The main problem with that is, what’s in it for them?  

What works about the NVD is that it’s funded by the U.S. government, so the money is always coming in to help fund the workforce and at least gives MITRE and the other private companies who contribute to the NVD motivation to keep working on it. 

To start up a whole new database of \*every\* CVE out there would take countless man-hours, and then what at the end? Would the company or person(s) who created it start charging for access? 

Several open-source solutions have_man-hours_ popped up over the past few weeks, such as “NVD Data Overrides,” which “is meant to provide additional data that is currently missing from NVD.” However, these types of volunteer projects still can’t assign CVSS scores, because only the NVD is authorized to hand out official NVD CVSS scores. 

This brings up another problem for private companies that may want to develop a solution: Do they want to play referee?  

Sometimes, when there’s a disagreement on how severe a vulnerability is and what severity score to assign it, the NVD will weigh in and provide their own, independently calculated CVSS score. Who really wants to be the “bad guy” to get between a massive tech company like Microsoft or Apple and a security researcher saying a vulnerability is a 9.5 out of 10 CVSS? 

I absolutely give major credit to any volunteers or open-source developers who are working on their own solutions for essentially nothing — but how long can we expect them to keep maintaining these databases? 

Unfortunately, I don’t have a great answer for this, either. I’m far from an expert on vulnerability management, nor do I have any connections to the federal government. But I do feel the onus is on the government to come up with a solution, and potentially provide incentives for companies and researchers to participate in this new proposed consortium because I don’t see the incentives there for the private sector to come up with their own solution.  

**The one big thing **

ArcaneDoor is a new campaign that is the latest example of state-sponsored actors targeting perimeter network devices from multiple vendors. Talos and Cisco PSIRT recently identified a previously unknown actor, now tracked as UAT4356 by Talos and STORM-1849 by the Microsoft Threat Intelligence Center. This actor utilized bespoke tooling that demonstrated a clear focus on espionage and an in-depth knowledge of the devices that they targeted, hallmarks of a sophisticated state-sponsored actor. UAT4356 deployed two backdoors as components of this campaign, “Line Runner” and “Line Dancer,” which were used collectively to conduct malicious actions on-target, which included configuration modification, reconnaissance, network traffic capture/exfiltration and potentially lateral movement.   

**Why do I care? **

Gaining a foothold on these devices allows an actor to directly pivot into an organization, reroute or modify traffic and monitor network communications. In the past two years, we have seen a dramatic and sustained increase in the targeting of these devices in areas such as telecommunications providers and energy sector organizations — critical infrastructure entities that are likely strategic targets of interest for many foreign governments. As a critical path for data into and out of the network, these devices need to be routinely and promptly patched; using up-to-date hardware and software versions and configurations; and be closely monitored from a security perspective. 

**So now what? **

There are some known indicators of compromise that customers can look for if they suspect they may have been targeted in this campaign. First, organizations should look for any flows to/from ASA devices to any of the IP addresses present in the IOC list provided at the bottom of this blog. This is one indication that further investigation is necessary. Potential targets can also follow the steps detailed in the Cisco ASA Forensic Investigation Procedures for First Responders. When following these procedures, first responders should NOT attempt to collect a core dump or reboot the device if they believe that the device has been compromised, based on the lina memory region output. Talos also released some Snort signatures to detect the activity on the wire including access attempts. Snort Signatures 63139, 62949 and 45575 have been released to detect the implants or associated behaviors. 

**Top security headlines of the week **

**A previously known Windows print spooler bug is still being actively exploited, according to Microsoft.** The company’s threat research team recently disclosed that APT28, a well-known Russian state-sponsored actor, is exploiting the vulnerability to deliver a previously unknown malware called “GooseEgg.” Microsoft disclosed and patched CVE-2022-38028 in October 2022, but APT28 may have been exploiting it as far back as 2020. The actor’s exploitation involved modifying a JavaScript constraints file in the printer spooler and executing it with SYSTEM-level permissions. The new research prompted the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) to add CVE-2022-38028 to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog. If installed, GooseEgg can load other applications with System-level permissions and allow the adversary to execute remote code on the targeted device or deploy other backdoors. Another set of print spooler vulnerabilities, called PrintNightmare, made headlines in July 2021, though no one reported active exploitation of that vulnerability at the time. (SC Magazine, Security Week) 

**A new investigation revealed how members of the group Scattered Spider are partnering with Russian state-sponsored actors to carry out ransomware attacks.** Scattered Spider is made up of younger individuals based out of the U.S., U.K. and Canada. They are primarily English speakers who have been blamed for several notable ransomware attacks, including one against MGM Casinos that disrupted operations at several casinos and hotels last year. The group specializes in social engineering, more recently using LinkedIn to steal employee information and use that to infiltrate corporate networks. Members, some as young as teenagers, are connecting over the dark web and online forums like Discord and use their advanced knowledge of Western civilization to provide crucial details to Russian actors. The “60 Minutes” investigation also included new details about The Community (aka “The Comm,” the online collection of hackers who like to brag about their recent cybercrimes, often through Telegram. (CBS News) 

**The U.S. government has re-upped a law that expands government surveillance by opening the door for private companies to partner with the government on these types of activities.** The controversial Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) was re-approved just hours after it lapsed. The White House and proponents in U.S. Congress argued that the powers granted in Section 702 of the FISA helps prevent the spread of terrorism and cyber attacks and that any lapse in those powers would harm the government’s ability to gather crucial intelligence. However, privacy advocates say that the FISA is an overreach, and provides too much power for private companies to potentially spy on consumers. The bill also includes a new definition of “electronic communications service provider,” which could allow the U.S. government to force Big Tech companies and telecommunications providers to hand over users’ data if requested. (NBC News, TechCrunch) 

**Can’t get enough Talos? **

*   Talos Takes Ep. #180: What are the dangers of enabling sideloading and third-party apps? 
*   Suspected CoralRaider continues to expand victimology using three information stealers 
*   Brute-force attacks surge worldwide, warns Cisco Talos    
*   Cisco Warns of Massive Surge in Password-Spraying Attacks on VPNs 
*   Rare Computer Virus Detected in Ukrainian Network, Confidential Document Potentially Compromised 

**Upcoming events where you can find Talos **

**CARO Workshop 2024** **(May 1 - 3)** 

_Arlington, Virginia_

> Over the past year, we’ve observed a substantial uptick in attacks by YoroTrooper, a relatively nascent espionage-oriented threat actor operating against the Commonwealth of Independent Countries (CIS) since at least 2022. Asheer Malhotra's presentation at CARO 2024 will provide an overview of their various campaigns detailing the commodity and custom-built malware employed by the actor, their discovery and evolution in tactics. He will present a timeline of successful intrusions carried out by YoroTrooper targeting high-value individuals associated with CIS government agencies over the last two years.

**RSA** **(May 6 - 9)** 

_San Francisco, California_    

**Cisco Live** **(June 2 - 6)** 

_Las Vegas, Nevada_  

**Most prevalent malware files from Talos telemetry over the past week **

_This section will be on a brief hiatus while we work through some technical difficulties._ _Several open-source solutions have_

The private sector probably isn’t coming to save the NVD

Caliptra 1.0 offers a blueprint for integrating security features directly into microprocessors.

Source: Alexmillos via Alamy Stock Vector

A consortium of top chip makers have finalized the first version of Caliptra, a specification to add zero-trust security features directly inside silicon.

The Caliptra 1.0 specification has hardware and software blocks providing multiple protection layers for encrypted data on chips.

"We believe Caliptra is a foundational aspect to the future of confidential computing and couldn't be more excited to reach our 1.0 milestone," says Andrés Lagar-Cavilla, a distinguished engineer at Google. Caliptra is currently being integrated by companies across the ecosystem into chips that will start to appear in the market in 2026.

Security-focused hardware exists, but usually as separate components on the hardware. At the moment, chips typically access security features that are available as separate hardware components on the motherboard. The Caliptra specification provides a blueprint to embed the security features into the chip instead of accessing those hardware cores.

For example, the Trusted Platform Module (TPM), which is required on all machines running Windows 11, is a secure processor carrying out cryptographic functions, such as Windows Hello authentication and BitLocker drive encryption. Caliptra could make possible an on-silicon version of TPM.

The specification was built around the concept of confidential computing, an emerging technology focused on building walls to protect data and programs during storage, transport, and execution. Users and code are verified before being allowed to enter the secure area, after which they can run programs.

**Caliptra-Spec Chips on the Way?**

The Caliptra specification aims to fend off cyberattacks and protect from vulnerabilities, such as Meltdown and Spectre, which exposed confidential user data to hackers.

Caliptra's protection layers on silicon include a root-of-trust block, in which code, users, and firmware are isolated, verified, and authenticated. The spec extends to protecting firmware and ROMs. The root-of-trust layer also detects and recovers data that may be corrupted.

The specification is now available for tape-in, which means it is also ready for testing for chips that may be going into production. Google's Lagar-Cavilla says the company is actively integrating Caliptra in first-party silicon designs and collaborating with suppliers to ensure their system-on-chips — across CPUs, GPUs, DPUs, BMCs, SSDs, and more — include Caliptra.

Caliptra is an open source technology, so chip makers can adopt and modify it for free.

A company called Antmicro is developing a Caliptra-based security core for an emerging chip architecture called RISC-V. The technology is an alternative to the dominant x86 and ARM instruction set architectures. RISC-V has a modular design that makes it easier to include technologies like Caliptra in production-level silicon.

Google is a lead developer of Caliptra, working alongside Advanced Micro Devices, Microsoft, Marvell, and NVIDIA. The Linux Foundation's CHIPS Alliance is managing the development of the specification.

Intel is one of the big names in chips missing from the group of companies developing Caliptra. Intel is pushing its own on-chip security technology to protect user data and chips from hackers.

**About the Author(s)**

Agam Shah has covered enterprise IT for more than a decade. Outside of machine learning, hardware, and chips, he's also interested in martial arts and Russia.

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