Imagine this... You arrive at work to a chaotic scene. Systems are down, panic is in the air. The culprit? Not a rogue virus, but a compromised identity. The attacker is inside your walls, masquerading as a trusted user. This isn't a horror movie, it's the new reality of cybercrime. The question is, are you prepared?
Traditional incident response plans are like old maps in a new world. They

Identity Protection / Incident Response

**Imagine this...** You arrive at work to a chaotic scene. Systems are down, panic is in the air. The culprit? Not a rogue virus, but a compromised identity. The attacker is _inside_ your walls, masquerading as a trusted user. This isn't a horror movie, it's the new reality of cybercrime. The question is, are you prepared?

Traditional incident response plans are like old maps in a new world. They focus on malware and network breaches, but today's criminals are after your identities. Stolen credentials, and weak access points - these are the keys to your kingdom.

While there's a playbook for handling malware outbreaks, the 'identity' chapter is often missing. Organizations struggle to identify compromised accounts and stop attackers from moving laterally within their systems. The result? A breach that spirals out of control, causing massive damage.

**The Solution: An Identity-Focused Incident Response Playbook**

This isn't just another security buzzword, it's your lifeline in the face of an identity attack. It provides clear procedures, tools, and strategies to detect, contain, and recover from an identity breach.

**In this webinar, you'll discover:**

*   **Why identity is the new frontline in the cyberwar:** Understand the shift in attacker tactics and why traditional defenses are falling short.
*   **The latest tactics attackers use to compromise accounts:** Learn about phishing, credential stuffing, and other sophisticated methods used to steal identities.
*   **Proven strategies for rapid detection and containment:** Discover how to quickly identify compromised accounts and stop attackers in their tracks.
*   **How to create an Identity IR Playbook tailored to your organization:** Get practical guidance on building a playbook that aligns with your specific needs and resources.

**Who should attend:**

*   IT security professionals
*   Incident response teams
*   CIOs and CISOs
*   Anyone responsible for protecting their organization's sensitive data

Secure your spot now and learn how to safeguard your identities against today's most pressing threats.

Found this article interesting? This article is a contributed piece from one of our valued partners. Follow us on Twitter __ and LinkedIn to read more exclusive content we post.

From Breach to Recovery: Designing an Identity-Focused Incident Response Playbook

A new Android malware called Trojan Ajina.Banker is targeting Central Asia – Discover how this malicious malware disguises…

A new Android malware called Trojan Ajina.Banker is targeting Central Asia – Discover how this malicious malware disguises itself as legitimate apps to steal banking information and intercept 2FA messages. Learn about the tactics used by the attackers and how to protect yourself from this growing threat.

Central Asia has become the target of a malicious new campaign distributing Android malware dubbed “Ajina.Banker.” Discovered by Group-IB in May 2024, Ajina.Banker has been wreaking havoc since November 2023 and around 1,400 unique variants of the malware were identified by researchers.

The malware is named after a malevolent Uzbek mythical spirit known for deception, shape-shifting, and chaos. Ajina.Banker targets unsuspecting users by masquerading as trusted applications like banking services, government portals, and everyday utilities “to maximize infection rates and entice people to download and run the malicious file, thereby compromising their devices.”

The malware primarily spreads through social engineering tactic on messaging platforms like Telegram. Attackers create numerous accounts to distribute malicious links and files disguised as enticing offers, promotions, or even local tax authority apps. Users lured by the promise of “lucrative rewards” or “exclusive access” unknowingly download and install the malware, compromising their devices.

The attackers also employ a multi-pronged approach, sending messages with just the malicious file attached, exploiting user curiosity. Additionally, they share links to channels hosting the malware, bypassing security measures in place on some community chats.

Ajina used themed messages and localized promotion strategies to create a sense of urgency and excitement in regional community chats, urging users to click on links or download files without suspecting malicious intent. These campaigns were conducted across multiple accounts, sometimes simultaneously, indicating a coordinated effort.

While primarily targeting users in Uzbekistan, Ajina.Banker’s reach extends beyond borders. The malware collects information on installed financial applications from various countries, including Armenia, Azerbaijan, Iceland, and Russia. Additionally, it gathers SIM card details and intercepts incoming SMS messages, potentially capturing 2FA codes for financial accounts.

The malware exhibits a concerning level of adaptability. The analysis reveals two distinct versions – com.example.smshandler and org.zzzz.aaa – suggesting ongoing development. Newer versions showcase additional functionalities, including the ability to steal user-provided phone numbers, bank card details, and PIN codes.

Group-IB’s investigation suggests Ajina.Banker operates on an affiliate program model. A core group manages the infrastructure, while a network of affiliates handles distribution and infection chains, likely incentivized by a share of the stolen funds.

To protect yourself and your devices from Ajina.Banker and similar threats, be cautious of unsolicited messages and downloads, stick to trusted app stores like Google Play Store, scrutinize app permissions, install security software, and stay updated on the latest malware threats and best practices for mobile security.

Rocky Cole, Co-Founder and COO of mobile device security company iVerify shared his comments about this cunning new campaign with Hackread.com:

“Credential theft is the number one action being taken by threat actors. It’s so easy to steal credentials on phones where smaller screens, lower attention spans, lack of training, and the mixing of personal and professional use cases put people at risk. This new Android malware is just a continuation of that trend and a prime example of why phones should be running EDR platforms to detect malicious APKs and social engineering attempts.”

1.  **Hackers using Google Sites to spread banking malware**
2.  **Google reveals spyware attack on Android, iOS, and Chrome**
3.  **Scylla Ad Fraud on iOS, Android Users Halted by Apple, Google**
4.  **V3B Phishing Kit Steals Logins and OTPs from EU Banking Users**
5.  **Android Banking Malware FjordPhantom Steals Via Virtualization**

New Android Malware Ajina.Banker Steals 2FA Codes, Spreads via Telegram

Beauty Parlour and Saloon Management System version 1.1 suffers from an insecure cooking handling vulnerability.

**Beauty Parlour And Saloon Management System 1.1 Insecure Cookie Handling**

Posted Sep 13, 2024

Authored by indoushka

Beauty Parlour and Saloon Management System version 1.1 suffers from an insecure cooking handling vulnerability.

tags | exploit

SHA-256 | 4c0788f43b5ea94beac369a15563afe012375eb20121975b115510c93def998e

Download | Favorite | View

**Beauty Parlour And Saloon Management System 1.1 Insecure Cookie Handling**

    ====================================================================================================================================| # Title     : Beauty Parlour & Saloon Management System 1.1 Insecure Cookie Handling Vulnerability                               || # Author    : indoushka                                                                                                          || # Tested on : windows 10 Fr(Pro) / browser : Mozilla firefox 130.0.0 (64 bits)                                                   || # Vendor    : https://phpgurukul.com/beauty-parlour-management-system-using-php-and-mysql/                                       |====================================================================================================================================poc :[+] Dorking İn Google Or Other Search Enggine.[+] The default username is admin & The chosen password is user123[+] use payload : document.cookie = "username=user123; path=/; secure; HttpOnly; SameSite=Lax";[+] Refresh the page http://127.0.0.1/studentms/admin/login.php or go to http://127.0.0.1/studentms/admin/dashboard.php Greetings to :==================================================jericho * Larry W. Cashdollar * LiquidWorm * Hussin-X * D4NB4R |================================================================

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Beauty Parlour And Saloon Management System 1.1 Insecure Cookie Handling

Even as cyber threats become increasingly sophisticated, the number one attack vector for unauthorized access remains phished credentials (Verizon DBIR, 2024). Solving this problem resolves over 80% of your corporate risk, and a solution is possible. 
However, most tools available on the market today cannot offer a complete defense against this attack vector because they were architected to

Even as cyber threats become increasingly sophisticated, the number one attack vector for unauthorized access remains phished credentials (Verizon DBIR, 2024). Solving this problem resolves over 80% of your corporate risk, and a solution is possible.

However, most tools available on the market today cannot offer a complete defense against this attack vector because they were architected to deliver probabilistic defenses. Learn more about the characteristics of Beyond Identity that allow us to deliver deterministic defenses.

****The Challenge: Phishing and Credential Theft****

Phishing attacks trick users into revealing their credentials via deceptive sites or messages sent via SMS, email, and/or voice calls. Traditional defenses, such as end-user training or basic multi-factor authentication (MFA), lower the risk at best but cannot eliminate it. Users may still fall prey to scams, and stolen credentials can be exploited. Legacy MFA is a particularly urgent problem, given that attackers now bypass MFA at scale prompting NIST, CISA, OMB, and NYDFS to issue guidances for phishing-resistant MFA.

****Beyond Identity's Approach: Deterministic Security******Eliminate Phishing**

Shared secrets, like passwords and OTPs, are inherently vulnerable because they can be intercepted or stolen. Beyond Identity uses public-private key cryptography, or passkeys, to avoid these risks and never falls back to phishable factors like OTP, push notifications, or magic links.

While public key cryptography is robust, the safety of private keys is crucial. Beyond Identity utilizes secure enclaves—specialized hardware components that safeguard private keys and prevent unauthorized access or movement. By ensuring all authentications are phishing-resistant and leveraging device-bound, hardware-backed credentials, Beyond Identity provides assurance against phishing attacks.

**Prevent Verifier Impersonation**

Recognizing legitimate links is impossible for human beings. To address this, Beyond Identity authentication relies on a Platform Authenticator, which verifies the origin of access requests. This method helps prevent attacks that rely on mimicking legitimate sites.

**Eliminate Credential Stuffing**

Credential stuffing is an attack where bad actors test stolen username and password pairs to attempt to gain access. Typically, the attack is carried out in an automated manner.

Beyond Identity addresses this by eliminating passwords entirely from the authentication process. Our passwordless, phishing-resistant MFA allows users to log in with a touch or glance and supports the broadest range of operating systems on the market, including Windows, Android, macOS, iOS, Linux, and ChromeOS, so users can log in seamlessly no matter what device they prefer to use.

**Eliminate Push Bombing Attacks**

Push bombing attacks flood users with excessive push notifications, leading to accidental approvals of unauthorized access. Beyond Identity mitigates this risk by not relying on push notifications.

Additionally, our phishing-resistant MFA enables device security checks on every device, managed or unmanaged, using natively collected and integrated third-party risk signals so you can ensure device compliance regardless of the device.

**Enforce Device Security Compliance**

During authentication, it's not just the user that's logging in, it's also their device. Beyond Identity is the only IAM solution on the market that delivers fine-grained access control that accounts for real-time device risk at the time of authentication and continuously during active sessions.

The first benefit of a platform authenticator is the ability to provide verifier impersonation resistance. The second benefit is that, as an application that lives on the device, it can provide real-time risk data about the device, such as firewall enabled, biometric-enabled, disk encryption enabled, and more.

With the Beyond Identity Platform Authenticator in place, you can have guarantees of user identity with phishing-resistant authentication and enforce security compliance on the device requesting access.

**Integrating Risk Signals for Adaptive Access**

Given the proliferation of security tools, risk signals can come from various disparate sources ranging from mobile device management (MDM), endpoint detection and response (EDR), Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA), and Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) tools. Adaptive, risk-based access is only as strong as the breadth, freshness, and comprehensiveness of risk signals that are fed into its policy decisions.

Beyond Identity provides a flexible integration architecture that prevents vendor lock-in and reduces the complexity of admin management and maintenance. Additionally, our policy engine allows for continuous authentication, so you can enforce comprehensive risk compliance even during active sessions.

**Ready to experience phishing-resistant security?**

Don't let outdated security measures leave your organization vulnerable when there are solutions available that can dramatically reduce your threat landscape and eliminate credential theft.

With Beyond Identity, you can safeguard access to your critical resources with deterministic security. Get in touch for a personalized demo to see firsthand how the solution works and understand how we deliver our security guarantees.

Found this article interesting? This article is a contributed piece from one of our valued partners. Follow us on Twitter __ and LinkedIn to read more exclusive content we post.

Say Goodbye to Phishing: Must-Haves to Eliminate Credential Theft

A technique to abuse Microsoft's built-in source code editor has finally made it into the wild, thanks to China's Mustang Panda APT.

Source: Postmodern Studio via Alamy Stock Photo

A Chinese state-aligned espionage group has become the first documented threat actor to weaponize a known exploit in VS Code in a malicious attack.

Visual Studio Code, or VS Code, is Microsoft's free source code editor for Windows, Linux, and macOS. According to Stack Overflow's 2023 survey of 86,544 developers, it's the most popular integrated development environment (IDE) among both new (78%) and professional developers (74%), by some distance. The next most popular IDE, Visual Studio, was used by 28% of respondents.

In September 2023, a threat researcher described how an attacker could take advantage of a VS Code feature called "Tunnel" to gain initial access to a target's environment. Initially, the tactic was just fodder for red teaming. Now, according to Palo Alto Networks' Unit 42, China's Mustang Panda (aka Stately Taurus, Bronze President, RedDelta, Luminous Moth, Earth Preta, and Camaro Dragon) has used it in an espionage attack against a government entity in southeast Asia.

"The technique described requires an attacker to have previously gained code execution privileges on a target machine," a Microsoft spokesperson tells Dark Reading. "As a security best practice, we encourage customers to practice good computing habits online, including exercising caution when clicking on links to web pages or opening unknown files."

**Turning VS Code Into a Reverse Shell**

"One of the worst fears as a cybersecurity expert is detecting and preventing a signed reverse shell binary," Truvis Thornton wrote, a whole year prior to Unit 42's latest research. "Guess what? Microsoft gladly gave us one."

First introduced in July 2023, VS Code Tunnel allows users to share their VS Code environments on the open Web, and only requires authentication through a GitHub account.

An attacker with their victim's GitHub credentials could do damage, but much worse is the fact that one can remotely install a portable version of VS Code on a targeted machine. Because it's a legitimate signed binary, it will not be flagged as suspicious by security software.

And yet, it will walk and talk like a reverse shell. By running the command "code.exe tunnel," the attacker opens a GitHub authentication page, which they can log into with their own account. Then they're redirected to a VS Code environment connected to their target's system, and free to execute commands and scripts and introduce new files at will.

Mustang Panda — a 12-year-old advanced persistent threat (APT) known for espionage against governments, nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), and religious groups in Asia and Europe — used this playbook to perform reconnaissance against its target, drop malware, and, most importantly for its purposes, exfiltrate sensitive data.

**How to Deal with VSCode**

"While the abuse of VSCode is concerning, in our opinion, it is not a vulnerability," Assaf Dahan, director of threat research for Unit 42, clarifies. Instead, he says, "It's a legitimate feature that was abused by threat actors, as often happens with many legitimate software (take lolbins, for example)."

And there are a number of ways organizations can protect against a bring-your-own-VSCode attack. Besides hunting for indicators of compromise (IoCs), he says, "It's also important to consider whether the organization would want to limit or block the use of VSCode on endpoints of employees that are not developers or do not require the use of this specific app. That can reduce the attack surface." 

"Lastly, consider limiting access to the VSCode tunnel domains '.tunnels.api.visualstudio\[.\]com' or '.devtunnels\[.\]ms' to users with a valid business requirement. Notice that these domains are legitimate and are not malicious, but limiting access to them will prevent the feature from working properly and consequently make it less attractive for threat actors," he adds.

**A Second, Overlapping Attack**

While investigating the Mustang Panda attack, Unit 42 came across a second threat cluster occupying the same target's systems.

In this case, the attacker abused imecmnt.exe — a legitimate and signed file associated with Microsoft's Input Method Editor (IME), used for generating text in languages not conducive to the QWERTY keyboard — with some dynamic link library (DLL) sideloading. The file they dropped, ShadowPad, is a 7-year-old modular backdoor popular among Chinese threat actors.

This compromise occurred at the same time as the VS Code exploitation, often on the same endpoints, and the overlaps didn't end there. Still, researchers couldn't say for certain whether this second cluster of malicious activity could be attributed to Mustang Panda. "There could also be other possible scenarios to explain this connection," they wrote. "For example, it could be a joint effort between two Chinese APT groups or perhaps two different groups piggybacking on each other's access."

Don't miss the latest Dark Reading Confidential podcast, where we talk to two cybersecurity professionals who were arrested in Dallas County, Iowa, and forced to spend the night in jail — just for doing their pen-testing jobs. Listen now!

**About the Author**

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.

Microsoft VS Code Undermined in Asian Spy Attack

A hacker claims to have stolen 440 GB of data from cybersecurity firm Fortinet, exploiting an Azure SharePoint…

A hacker claims to have stolen 440 GB of data from cybersecurity firm Fortinet, exploiting an Azure SharePoint vulnerability. The breach, dubbed “Fortileak,” was revealed on a forum with access credentials shared online.

A hacker using the alias “Fortibitch” has claimed responsibility for leaking 440 GB of data belonging to Fortinet, a prominent cybersecurity firm based in Sunnyvale, California. The hacker stated that the stolen data is now accessible for download via an Amazon S3 bucket, with details of the breach and access credentials shared on the popular underground forum, Breach Forum.

**The Breach: Fortileak**

Dubbed _Fortileak_ by the hacker, the breach allegedly originates from an exposure in Fortinet’s Azure SharePoint instance. In the forum post, the hacker pointed out recent acquisitions by Fortinet, including the Data Loss Prevention (DLP) firm Next DLP and the cloud security company Lacework. They then claimed that Fortinet’s Azure SharePoint had been compromised, allowing for the extraction of the substantial data cache.

The full scope of the compromised data remains unclear, though the hacker emphasized that the breach involves Fortinet’s cloud infrastructure. The hacker provided the following credentials for accessing the alleged stolen data:

Screenshot: Hackread.com

**Ransom Demands and Negotiation Breakdown**

In a further twist, the hacker claimed that Fortinet’s CEO, Ken Xie, walked away from ransom negotiations. In the forum post, the hacker ridiculed Xie, alleging that the CEO refused to engage, stating that he “would rather eat some p\*\*p than pay ransom.” The hacker also questioned why Fortinet had not filed an SEC 8-K form (PDF)—a document required by public companies to disclose major incidents.

The post also contained a mix of taunts and shout-outs to other individuals or groups, which seemed to further underline the hacker’s brash attitude toward the attack and its aftermath.

**Fortinet’s Response**

Hackread.com reached out to Fortinet for an official comment on the breach. A spokesperson for the company confirmed that an unauthorized individual had gained access to a limited number of files stored on a third-party cloud-based shared file drive. These files included data related to a “small” subset of Fortinet customers.

In their statement to Hackread.com, Fortinet reassured stakeholders that there has been no indication of any malicious activity affecting its customers. They emphasized that the company’s operations, products, and services have not been impacted by the breach. Fortinet stated that they have already communicated directly with the affected customers and are continuing to monitor the situation closely.

> _“An individual gained unauthorized access to a limited number of files stored on Fortinet’s instance of a third-party cloud-based shared file drive, which included limited data related to a small number of Fortinet customers, and we have communicated directly with customers as appropriate. To-date there is no indication that this incident has resulted in malicious activity affecting any customers. Fortinet’s operations, products, and services have not been impacted.”_
> 
> Fortinet Spokesperson

This is not the first time Fortinet has faced a cybersecurity incident. Last year, Chinese hackers were reported to be exploiting a zero-day vulnerability in the company’s products. In another instance, hackers were found exploiting a vulnerability in FortiOS, the operating system for Fortinet’s security appliances, to compromise organizations and customers.

Nevertheless, for now, the full extent of the breach remains under investigation, and it is unclear whether the alleged stolen data will be used maliciously or if the ransom negotiations will have any further developments. As more information emerges, both customers and cybersecurity professionals will be watching closely to assess the impact of this incident.

1.  **World’s Leading Cybersecurity Firm Kaspersky Hacked**
2.  **CISA and Fortinet Warns of New FortiOS Zero-Day Flaws**
3.  **X Account of Google Cybersecurity Firm Mandiant Hacked**
4.  **Cybersecurity Firm Hacks Itself, Finds AWS Credentials Leak**
5.  **Hackers dump plain-text login credentials of Fortinet VPN users**

Fortinet Confirms Limited Data Breach After Hacker Leaks 440 GB of Data

PRESS RELEASE

REDDING, Calif., Sept. 10, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- According to a new market research report titled, 'SCADA Market by Type (Monolithic SCADA Systems, Distributed SCADA Systems, Networked SCADA Systems), Component (Hardware, Software, Services), Deployment Mode, End-use Industry (Oil & Gas, Automotive, F&B)—Global Forecast to 2031.

The rising adoption of automated technologies across Europe and Asia-Pacific, the advent of Industry 5.0, the growing demand for smart and digitized production processes, and the increasing emphasis on industrial automation are key factors driving the growth of SCADA. However, the high initial investment requirements for SCADA implementation are restraining the growth of this market.

Furthermore, the growing adoption of wireless sensor networks and the proliferation of smart factories are expected to generate growth opportunities for the players operating in this market. However, the risk of cyberattacks is a major challenge impacting market growth. Furthermore, the rising adoption of Industry 4.0 technologies and the increasing reliance on Human-Machine Interface (HMI) systems are prominent trends in the SCADA market.

Advent of Industry 5.0 Boosting the Demand for Scada Systems 

Industry 5.0, also known as the Fifth Industrial Revolution, is a new and emerging phase of industrialization that builds upon the principles of Industry 4.0 but emphasizes the human touch and the integration of human skills with advanced technologies. Industry 4.0 focused on technologies such as the Internet of Things and big data, whereas Industry 5.0 seeks to involve human, environmental, and social aspects.

As Industry 5.0 promotes enhanced collaboration between humans and machines, there is an increasing demand for sophisticated automation and control systems capable of effectively bridging the gap between these elements. SCADA systems facilitate real-time monitoring and control of industrial processes, playing an important role in enabling seamless interactions between humans and machines. They offer the necessary infrastructure for incorporating human input and feedback into automated workflows, thereby optimizing performance and efficiency. With Industry 5.0 driving the adoption of advanced technologies, the requirement for comprehensive monitoring and control solutions to ensure seamless integration and coordination is growing. SCADA systems have significantly improved the reliability and capability of automation. Centralized SCADA systems are increasingly utilized for decision-making in hazardous situations to prevent accidents in complex infrastructure. These systems oversee and manage entire sites, support informed decision-making, enhance efficiency, and minimize downtime. The advantages provided by SCADA systems, coupled with the escalating need to maintain the integrity and reliability of critical infrastructure, are driving market growth.

Governments are actively supporting industrial automation and digitalization initiatives. For example, in January 2021, the President of Spain introduced three new plans for SMEs (2021-2025)—the Connectivity Plan, the Strategy to Promote 5G Plan, and the National Strategy for Artificial Intelligence. These plans are part of the Spain 2025 Digital Agenda and aim to advance the development and deployment of SCADA systems across various industries. By enhancing capabilities and driving digital transformation, these initiatives are increasing demand for SCADA systems and contributing to market growth.

SCADA Market Analysis: Key Segmental Findings

*   By Type: In 2024, the networked SCADA systems segment is expected to account for the largest share of 47.5% of the SCADA market. Moreover, this segment is projected to register the highest CAGR of 8.2% during the forecast period from 2024 to 2031.
    
*   By Component: In 2024, the hardware segment is expected to account for the largest share of 55.9% of the SCADA market. However, the software segment is estimated to record the highest CAGR during the forecast period from 2024 to 2031.
    
*   By Deployment Mode: In 2024, the on-premise deployments segment is expected to account for the dominant share of the SCADA market. However, the cloud-based deployments segment is anticipated to register the highest CAGR of 10.5% during the forecast period from 2024 to 2031.
    
*   By End-use Industry: In 2024, the manufacturing segment is expected to account for the major share of 26.4% of the SCADA market. However, the automotive segment is slated to record the highest CAGR of 10.7% during the forecast period from 2024 to 2031.
    

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Geographic Analysis:

By geography, the SCADA market is segmented into North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Latin America, and the Middle East & Africa. In 2024, North America is estimated to account for the largest share of 32.1% of the SCADA market. The North America SCADA market is expected to reach $5,488.3 million by 2031.

The industrial sector has seen extensive implementation of automation systems, especially in North America. Manufacturers in this region are increasingly deploying advanced automation technologies in their operations. North American countries are competing with their Asian and European counterparts to position themselves as key manufacturing centers, with the goal of lowering costs related to importing goods. The high labor costs in the U.S. are a primary impetus for the adoption of process control systems, such as SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition), MES (Manufacturing Execution System), and DCS (Distributed Control System). These systems are instrumental in reducing the need for human oversight and management of automation processes.

Key market players are focusing on developing SCADA solutions with advanced features tailored for various industrial applications, including oil & gas, power, utilities, automotive, electronics, and F&B. For example, in October 2022, Emerson Electric Co. (U.S.) introduced Movicon.NExT 4.2, an advanced automation platform designed for seamless integration with field devices and enterprise systems. This software provides the data and insights necessary for achieving operational excellence across diverse applications in discrete and hybrid manufacturing sectors, including F&B, packaged consumer goods, energy, infrastructure, building automation, and machine automation.

Furthermore, in October 2022, AtomTech (U.S.) expanded its North American presence by launching AtomTech Canada. This move addresses the growing demand for automation, cybersecurity, SCADA, and IIoT 4.0 solutions across industries such as automotive, medical equipment, and warehouse logistics. Such developments support the growth of the SCADA market in the region during the forecast period.

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Asia-Pacific: The Fastest-growing Regional Market

The SCADA market in Asia-Pacific is poised to register the highest CAGR during the forecast period. In 2024, China is expected to account for the major share of the SCADA market in Asia-Pacific. Asia-Pacific generates significant growth opportunities for the adoption of industrial process control solutions, given its extensive and diverse manufacturing sector. Traditionally, manual or semi-automatic control processes have characterized industrial production in the region. However, advanced automation solutions are becoming essential for achieving the flexibility required in high-volume production lines, thereby enhancing overall operational efficiency.

Asia-Pacific is a prominent manufacturing hub across multiple sectors, including automotive, electronics, consumer goods, pharmaceuticals, and more. This manufacturing prominence is a significant driver of automation technology adoption in the region. SCADA solutions are increasingly being adopted in countries such as China, Japan, South Korea, and India, driven by efforts to modernize manufacturing facilities and the need for SCADA software to interface with Remote Terminal Units (RTUs), Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs), and Human-Machine Interface (HMI) components. The focus on improving process efficiencies and reducing production costs further fuels market growth, enabling operators to analyze and make decisions from remote locations.

The rapid advancement of automation and artificial intelligence (AI) is having a profound impact on economies in the APAC region. Asiais expected to be the fastest-growing automation market, driven by factors such as population growth, urbanization, economic development, rising wages, and decreasing costs associated with automated industrial technologies. The increasing awareness of advanced industrial control solutions, including SCADA systems for comprehensive manufacturing process monitoring, is a key driver of this market growth.

The U.K. Continues to Dominate the SCADA Market in Europe

In 2024, the U.K. is expected to account for the largest share of the SCADA market in Europe. Several factors are driving the adoption of industrial control systems in the U.K., including the expansion of the manufacturing industry, stringent manufacturing and industrial safety regulations, increased diversity in consumer products, growing awareness of automated systems, and rising labor costs. Many enterprises and industries in the U.K. are increasingly adopting automated machines and control solutions to enhance operational process monitoring. Key sectors such as oil & gas, power, automotive, F&B, electronics, and semiconductors are leading the way in implementing industrial control systems. In response to the evolving needs of these industries, market players are actively developing advanced SCADA solutions. For example, in September 2020, Severn Trent plc (U.K.) invested USD 6.4 million to upgrade its SCADA monitoring and management systems to a cloud-based platform.

SCADA Market: Competition Analysis

This report offers a competitive analysis based on an extensive assessment of the leading players' product portfolios, geographic presence, and key growth strategies adopted over the past three to four years. Major companies in the SCADA market have implemented various strategies to expand their product offerings and global footprints and augment their market shares. The key strategies followed by most companies in the SCADA market were product launches & enhancements, acquisitions, expansion, partnerships, agreements, and collaborations. The key market players operating in the SCADA market include Rockwell Automation, Inc. (U.S.), Siemens AG (Germany), Eaton Corporation plc (Ireland), Schneider Electric SE (France), ABB Ltd (Switzerland), Yokogawa Electric Corporation (Japan), General Electric Company (U.S.), Emerson Electric Co. (U.S.), Honeywell International, Inc. (U.S.), Mitsubishi Electric Corporation (Japan), OMRON Corporation (Japan), Pilz GmbH & Co. KG (Germany), Survalent Technology Corporation (Canada), Valmet (Finland), and Hitachi, Ltd. (Japan).

Browse In-Depth Report Now - https://www.meticulousresearch.com/product/scada-market-5186

SCADA Industry Overview: Latest Developments from Key Industry Players

*   In June 2023, Siemens AG introduced the SICAM 8 power automation platform, which includes two new software solutions: the SICAM HMI (Human Machine Interface) visualization tool and the SICAM S8000 software solution for power automation. This platform is part of the Siemens Xcelerator portfolio, an open digital platform designed to help customers accelerate their digital transformation at scale.
    
*   In April 2023, Siemens AG partnered with Gujarat Metro Rail Corporation Limited (GMRCL) (India) to advance rail electrification technologies. Siemens Limited will deliver project management services and cutting-edge rail electrification technologies, including advanced power supply and distribution systems. Additionally, Siemens Limited will provide sophisticated digital solutions, such as Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) systems, for both metro projects.
    
*   In March 2023, Rockwell Automation launched FactoryTalk Optix, a new addition to the company's visualization portfolio. FactoryTalk Optix is a modern, cloud-enabled human-machine interface (HMI) platform that allows users to design, test, and deploy applications directly from a web browser remotely, in real time.
    
*   In February 2023, ABB launched the ABB Ability Symphony Plus distributed control system that delivers seamless and secure access to an extended digital ecosystem for power generation and water industries. It increases performance and enables plant-wide digitalization, offering a noninvasive modernization of the installed base.
    
*   In October 2022, Emerson released a new version of its DeltaV distributed control system (DCS). Version 15 helps plants digitally transform operations through improved production optimization and enhanced operator performance.
    
*   In April 2022, ABB partnered with Ramboll (Denmark) to explore new opportunities in offshore substations. ABB will leverage its expertise in the design and supply of electrical, SCADA, automation, and telecommunications equipment. This includes engineering, products, installation, commissioning, and operational maintenance of these systems.
    
*   In January 2022, Schneider Electric entered into an agreement with AVEVA, a leading technology company. This collaboration was designed to further AVEVA's digital and sustainability objectives. Schneider Electric's extensive reach and profound market expertise will support AVEVA in sustaining, expanding, and enhancing its leadership in the industrial automation software and SCADA sectors across the Pacific region.
    
*   In April 2021, Mitsubishi Electric updated its SCADA lineup with GENESIS64, introducing two new software products for system monitoring and process control. This new software suite replaced the MC Works64 SCADA software, which was designed for monitoring small production lines and managing multi-site monitoring.
    
*   In January 2021, Rockwell Automation acquired Fiix Inc. (Canada), an AI-enabled computerized maintenance management system (CMMS) company. This acquisition bolsters Rockwell Automation's software strategy and strengthens its Lifecycle Services business. The addition of Fiix enhances the company's ability to offer a comprehensive range of industrial automation services, aimed at maximizing the value of customers' production assets, systems, plants, and processes.

SCADA Market Is Set to Reach $18.7B by 2031

A vendor honeypot caught two attacks intended to leverage the tens of thousands of exposed Selenium Grid Web app testing servers.

Source: Olekcii Mach via Alamy Stock Photo

Threat actors are infecting Internet-exposed Selenium Grid servers, with the goal of using victims' Internet bandwidth for cryptomining, proxyjacking, and potentially much worse.

Selenium is an open source suite of tools for browser automation that, according to data from Wiz, can be found in 30% of cloud environments. Selenium Grid is its open source tool for automatically testing Web applications across multiple platforms and browsers in parallel, used by millions of developers and thousands of organizations worldwide. Its Selenium/hub docker image has more than 100 million pulls on Docker Hub.

Though it's an internal tool by nature, tens of thousands of Selenium Grid servers are exposed on the Internet today. In turn, at least some hackers have deployed automated malware intended to hijack these servers for various malicious purposes.

To gauge the kinds of threats that face these untended servers, Cado Security recently launched a honeypot. As Al Carchrie, R&D lead solutions engineer for Cado Security, remembers, "We deployed the honeypot on a Tuesday, and then we started to see activity within 24 hours."

**Selenium Proxyjacking**

During the research period, two primary threats kept automatically trying to attack the honeypot day after day.

The first deployed a series of scripts, including one labeled "y," which dropped the open source networking toolkit GSocket. GSocket is designed to allow two users behind firewalls to establish a secure TCP connection. In this and other cases, though, threat actors used it as a means of command-and-control (C2).

Two scripts followed, "pl" and "tm," which performed various reconnaissance functions — analyzing system architecture, checking for root privileges, and other functions — and dropped the campaign's primary payloads: Pawns.app (IPRoyal Pawn) and EarnFM. Each of these are proxyware — programs that allow users to essentially rent out their unused internet bandwidth.

Though services like these are sold legitimately, hackers can easily weaponize them for their own purposes. Called "proxyjacking," it involves hijacking an unwitting Internet user's IP to use as one's own personal proxy server for further malicious activities or selling it to another cybercriminal.

"It allows people to hide behind legitimate IP addresses, and the reason for doing that is to try and bypass IP filtering that organizations would put in place," Carchrie explains. "So if you're using Tor to try and anonymize yourselves, organizations might blacklist Tor IP addresses from accessing their infrastructure. This gives them an opportunity. This is the first time I've personally come across proxyjacking being used as the end goal of a campaign."

**More Significant Threats to Selenium**

The second attack snagged by the honeypot was similar in its initial means of infection, but dropped a Golang-based executable and linkable format (ELF) binary. The ELF, in turn, attempted to use "PwnKit," a public exploit for CVE-2021-4043, an old, medium severity Linux privilege escalation bug (CVSS score 5.5).

Next, the malware connected to an attacker's C2 infrastructure and dropped "perfcc," a cryptominer. In this way, it paralleled a different, yearlong campaign revealed by Wiz back in July, which used Selenium Grid as a vector to deploy the XMRig miner.

As Ami Luttwak, CTO and co-founder of Wiz, explains, the same kind of attack can be used to do a lot worse.

"Remember, Selenium runs usually in test environments," he says. "Test environments have proprietary code, and many times from test environments you can actually get access back to either engineering environments or production. So this could be used by a more advanced attacker to start actually attacking the exposed organization."

**30,000 Publicly Exposed Servers**

Being an internal tool by nature, Selenium Grid does not have any authentication to barricade attackers from breaking in. Its maintainers have warned in documentation that it "must be protected from external access using appropriate firewall permissions."

In July, though, Wiz found around 15,000 updated but Internet-exposed Selenium Grid servers. Worse: More than 17,000 were both exposed to the Internet, and running outdated versions. (That number has since dropped below 16,000.) The vast majority of these were based in the US and Canada.

It was only a matter of time, then, before threat actors capitalized on the opportunity. The first documented sign of it was reported in a Reddit post.

"Selenium is built to be an internal service for testing," Luttwak emphasizes. "In most scenarios, it's not supposed to be publicly accessible. If it is, then there is a risk there you have to mitigate."

Carchrie advises, "If you need your Selenium Grid accessible via the Internet, we recommend that you deploy an appropriately configured authentication proxy server in front of the Selenium Grid application using multifactor authentication as well as username and passwords."

Don't miss the latest Dark Reading Confidential podcast, where we talk to two cybersecurity professionals who were arrested in Dallas County, Iowa, and forced to spend the night in jail — just for doing their pen-testing jobs. Listen now!

**About the Author**

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.

Hackers Proxyjack &amp; Cryptomine Selenium Grid Servers

WordPress.org has announced a new account security measure that will require accounts with capabilities to update plugins and themes to activate two-factor authentication (2FA) mandatorily.
The enforcement is expected to come into effect starting October 1, 2024.
"Accounts with commit access can push updates and changes to plugins and themes used by millions of WordPress sites worldwide," the

Web Security / Content Management

WordPress.org has announced a new account security measure that will require accounts with capabilities to update plugins and themes to activate two-factor authentication (2FA) mandatorily.

The enforcement is expected to come into effect starting October 1, 2024.

"Accounts with commit access can push updates and changes to plugins and themes used by millions of WordPress sites worldwide," the maintainers of the open-source, self-hosted version of the content management system (CMS) said.

"Securing these accounts is essential to preventing unauthorized access and maintaining the security and trust of the WordPress.org community."

Besides requiring mandatory 2FA, WordPress.org said it's introducing what's called SVN passwords, which refers to a dedicated password for committing changes.

This, it said, is an effort to introduce a new layer of security by separating users' code commit access from their WordPress.org account credentials.

"This password functions like an application or additional user account password," the team said. "It protects your main password from exposure and allows you to easily revoke SVN access without having to change your WordPress.org credentials."

WordPress.org also noted that technical limitations have prevented 2FA from being applied to existing code repositories, as a result of which it has opted for a "combination of account-level two-factor authentication, high-entropy SVN passwords, and other deploy-time security features (such as Release Confirmations)."

The measures are seen as a way to counter scenarios where a malicious actor could seize control of a publisher's account, thereby introducing malicious code into legitimate plugins and themes, resulting in large-scale supply chain attacks.

The disclosure comes as Sucuri warned of ongoing ClearFake campaigns targeting WordPress sites that aim to distribute an information stealer called RedLine by tricking site visitors into manually running PowerShell code in order to fix an issue with rendering the web page.

Threat actors have also been observed leveraging infected PrestaShop e-commerce sites to deploy a credit card skimmer to siphon financial information entered on checkout pages.

"Outdated software is a primary target for attackers who exploit vulnerabilities in old plugins and themes," security researcher Ben Martin said. "Weak admin passwords are a gateway for attackers."

Users are recommended to keep their plugins and themes up-to-date, deploy a web application firewall (WAF), periodically review administrator accounts, and monitor for unauthorized changes to website files.

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WordPress Mandates Two-Factor Authentication for Plugin and Theme Developers

Torrance, United States / California, 12th September 2024, CyberNewsWire

**Torrance, United States / California, September 11th, 2024, CyberNewsWire**

Criminal IP, a distinguished leader in Cyber Threat Intelligence (CTI) search engine developed by AI SPERA, announced that it has successfully integrated its IP address-related risk detection data with IPLocation.io, one of the most visited IP analysis and lookup tools on the internet.

Through the integration, IPLocation.io, a prominent IP address geolocation tracker platform with a substantial user base, now offers more detailed insights on IP addresses from Criminal IP’s accurate and up-to-date threat intelligence database.

**Innovative Data Ecosystem Driven by Search Engine and AI Expertise**

This is a groundbreaking advancement because Criminal IP’s database, built on a search engine framework, is more than a collection of information; it’s a refined machine learning ecosystem honed through extensive scanning and detection of malicious IP addresses. The system continuously enhances its accuracy by transforming self-collected threat data, particularly behavioral patterns for IP address evasion, into actionable intelligence using AI and machine learning techniques.

**Tracking Down Threat History with Snort and Scanner Information**

Unlike traditional IP tracking methods, which only provide the geographic location of IP addresses, Criminal IP data in IPLocation.io now delivers information from ‘Snort’, a network intrusion detection system, and vulnerability scanners on open ports. This, along with newly provided inbound and outbound scores of IP addresses, enables the comprehensive identification of threat information related to IP addresses. Users can now compile the information themselves to assess the risk of an IP address, supported by a variety of fact-based evidence.

Threat data from Criminal IP accessible on IPLocation.io website

Among IP Location Lookup data sources, Criminal IP provides the most comprehensive data, offering 25 distinct data points for a single IP address.

**Evasion-Focused Dynamic Pattern Analysis Unveils Potential Attack Scenarios**

Users can also detect IP address obfuscation and protect their assets with new VPN, Proxy, and Tor data in IP Location. The aforementioned data helps identify discrepancies between actual and reported locations of an IP address, as well as traffic routed through multiple servers, thus revealing potential threats. The system goes beyond a mere review of past records; it offers predictive insights into future risks by analyzing behavioral patterns and potential attack scenarios. This underscores the CTI database’s distinctive capability to continuously learn and analyze attack patterns executed online.

**About AI SPERA**

AI SPERA equips cybersecurity professionals with advanced tools and insights to protect digital assets. Its flagship products include Criminal IP, renowned for its AI-based search engine, as well as attack surface management and fraud detection for enterprise solutions. The firm’s established presence in major marketplaces like AWS and Snowflake further underscores its credibility and the trust placed in its services by leading industry players. Recently, AI SPERA achieved Level 1 certification under PCI DSS v4.0, overseen by the six leading global card issuers, showcasing its commitment to top-tier data security.

**Contact**

**Michael Sena**  
**AI SPERA**  
**\[email protected\]**

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