A new malware strain has begun to attack IoT devices, wiping their firmware and rendering them useless. As of the writing of the article the malware has been live for a day and has already claimed a confirmed 2,000 victims in about 3 hours. Reports state that, Silex, the name of this malware, will continue to grow in scale and destructive nature. How Does Silex Work Reports state that Silex operates by destroying an IoT’s devices storage, removing the devices network config, dropping firewall rules, and ultimately ending by halting the device’s ability to operate. It does this by logging into the system using know default login credentials. In terms of destructive capabilities, this strain of malware is extremely threatening. If infected by the malware, the only option is to reinstall the device’s firmware, an operation many users will find to difficult to do. Experts believe this malware will lead to infected users throwing their devices away, thinking they were malfunctioning, rather than suspecting malware to be the case. For now, Silex appears to only be targeting Unix-like systems with default login credentials, but the malware also has a Bash shell version as well, meaning it could also be used to target systems running Unix like operating systems. This could spell disaster for Linux servers that have unsecured Telnet ports and poor admin or user credentials. At the time, the malware uses Iranian hosting services to operate, which has already been blacklisted by URLhaus. However, it is still recommended that you make sure your passwords are up to date and are anything but the default.
Across the United States, hackers have been targeted cities through the use of ransomware. Ransomware is a malicious attack on a computer system which completely locks the user out of their computer until a “ransom” is paid (usually in bitcoins). For those who think paying the ransom will be the easiest option should be aware that there is no guarantee that, upon payment, a decryption key will be provided. What makes ransomware especially threatening is the timer that not only counts down how many days left the user has before all files are deleted but also increases the price of decryption each passing day. Ransomware attacks should not be news to residents of Maryland. A similar attack has plagued Baltimore’s city government for a while, and the price of recovery has skyrocketed to $18 million. As of today, Lake City, Florida, another US city infected with ransomware, has decided to pay the ransom in order to regain access to their technology network. Despite Lake City’s technology department successfully disconnecting all infecting computers within a matter of minutes the virus was able to snake its way through the entire government’s network, with the police and fire departments being the exception. Lack City, Florida government officials have agreed to pay a ransom of $500,000. Upon payment, Lake City was granted a recovery key after paying the ransom, something other cities should take note of. Baltimore and Lake City are not the only two cities to have been plagued with the attack. Other cities such as Lynn, Massachusetts, Cartersville and Jackson County, Georgia have also been faced with this serious cyber-attack. These attacks, while expensive to fix, are a wakeup call to local governments. Ransomware is often targeted and successful on outdated systems, something each of the cities listed had. In order to combat these issues, and ensure they do not happen again, regular maintenance, updates, and patches are not only necessary but required. These attacks not only cripple the state government, but they also hurt the general public.
A new adware exploit has been discovered recently. Named “Cavallarin” after its founder, the exploit allows for the unwarranted download of various ads onto the users Mac device, all while being trusted by Apple’s macOS Gatekeeper. How the Cavallarin Exploit Works The exploit takes advantage of Mac’s Gatekeeper protection service, allowing for malicious apps to trick the Gatekeeper into thinking they are Apple-certified applications, granting them elevated access to the device. This is a serious concern that Apple has yet to address, even after Filippo Cavallarin approached them with the discovery. When the Gatekeeper is operating properly, it will prompt the user, informing them that the application they are attempting to install is not Apple-certified and could be hazardous. However, if the application takes advantage of the exploit, this prompt will never occur, and the device will become infected. How to Prevent Your Mac Device from Exploitation For now, the easiest method of prevention would be to only download applications that are 100% known to be Apple-certified. Even then, it is smart to remain vigilant regarding any application you are download, always airing on the side of caution. For now, with no comment from Apple regarding the exploit yet, it is hard to say when a patch will be created and pushed to users. If you are still worried about the potential exploitation of your device, Intego’s free VirusBarrier Scanner is able to check your system for apps using the exploit. These threats will appear as “OSX/Linker.”
If you use Mozilla Firefox it is imperative that you make sure your browser is on version 67.0.3 or ESR 60.7.1! The vulnerability was found by Google’s Project Zero security team, and they describe the vulnerability as: “A type confusion vulnerability [that] can occur when manipulating JavaScript objects due to issues in Array.pop. This can allow for an exploitable crash.” How to Update Firefox If you are unsure of how to check to make sure your Firefox browser is up to date, or how to update it, fear not! We have provided a step by step guide below that will allow you to easily navigate through the browser’s settings! Step 1 Click on the in the upper right-hand corner of the browser window. Step 2 Once the drop down menu is open, click on “options”. Step 3 Scroll down until you find “Firefox Updates”. 1. Make sure your browser is on the latest version! 2. If it is not click on “Check for updates” on the right-hand side of the browser window. 3. Make sure your you check off “Automatically install updates (recommended)” to ensure your browser always stays up to date and safe! If you are worried your business may be at risk, don’t hesitate! Call Hammett Technologies today and set up a free network assessment!
As technology continues to advance, so do those who aim to use it to exploit others. According to Accenture, when a business suffers a cybersecurity attack, an estimated $2.4 million is spent on recovery, and it takes an estimated 50 days to recover from the attack entirely. On a global scale, the average business can expect to spend on recovery is estimated to be as high as $3.86 million, with another attack within 24 hours with a 27.9% chance (via 2018 Ponemon Report). It is essential that businesses understand this threat, and that investing in preventative measures, such as automation, is important to maintaining a business’s security. What is a Data Breach? According to the 2018 Cost of a Data Breach Study, to classify an event as a “data breach” an individual’s medical record, financial record, and/or debit card information must be placed at risk. This type of information can become exposed due to malicious or criminal attack, system glitch, and even human error. How Does a Business Avoid Data Breaches? In order to prevent a data breach from occurring, a business must invest in a strong cybersecurity team. With the support of a robust cybersecurity team, a business has a better chance of staying ahead of malicious hackers. Furthermore, extensive pressure testing can also aid in prevention. Pressure testing a businesses network environment can reveal vulnerabilities, as well as aid in innovation, keeping your cybersecurity ahead of the attackers. However, one of the most important defenses a business can invest in is automation. What is Automation and How Can It Improve Cyber Defense? When it comes to cybersecurity, automation is your best defender. According to 2019 Study on the Cyber Resilient Organization, automation, in the cybersecurity field, refers to investing and enabling in cybersecurity technologies that assist or replace human intervention in the identification and containment of cyber exploits or breaches. Furthermore, for these technologies to function correctly and efficiently, artificial intelligence and machine learning, must be appropriately implemented. Automation creates a symbiotic relationship with businesses cyber resilience. It reduced the chances a business has of encountering a data breach, as well as the frequency of them occurring. Investing in automation allows for a business to feel more confident in its ability to track, prevent, and contain potential cybersecurity incident. However, while automation does remove humans from the identification and containment procedure, it does not mean that cybersecurity professionals are irrelevant. A business should keep a full staffed cybersecurity team to assist in training, as well as regular maintenance of the automation processes. Furthermore, a fully staffed cybersecurity team can develop a Computer Security Incident Response Plan (CSIRP), which significantly assists in detection and containment. Automation is a necessary part of a company this wished to keep their client’s information save and save money. According to the 2018 Cost of a Data Breach Study, on average, the losses of a company that has fully and effectively implemented automation to their cybersecurity defense, are $2.88 million, while a company that has decided to skip on automation suffers $4.43 million in losses. Automation is an essential tool for any business looking to improve its cybersecurity and cyber resilience. What Other Steps Should a Business Take to Continually Improve its Cyber Resilience? Automation is a crucial component to any businesses cybersecurity detail, but businesses cannot overlook other key personnel and details either. Security intelligence systems can save a company as much as $3.7 million. Companies that take full advantage of encryption and effectively use it can save as much as $1.4 million annually. Properly implementation of a firewall can prevent 2.5 million in losses yearly as well. Perhaps the most often overlooked factor is maintaining a sufficient budget for cybersecurity, which can save a company $2.8 million annually when appropriately maintained. As stated earlier, keeping a fully staffed cybersecurity team crucial to maintaining the network, leading to $2.1 million in savings for the company; however, no team is without its leader. Hiring a Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) can further improve security, as well as save a company $2 million yearly. Lastly, and an added measure as to what automation cannot accomplish is proper training and cybersecurity awareness meetings. Training and informing employees on cybersecurity not only helps to prevent human error, but it also saves a company $1.5 million every year. Automation is crucial, but implementing other cybersecurity personnel and details in equally important in maintaining a proper network. As technology continues to progress, the threats do as well. Therefore, it is up to businesses and cybersecurity teams to implement the proper tools necessary to defend against attacks that can wreak havoc and cause data breaches. At Hammett Technologies we understand the importance and can help evaluate and develop a plan to help train employees and prevent data breaches, ensuring your company’s data remains secure.
If you have an Nvidia graphics card, it is within your best interest to make sure your drivers are up to date. On May 9, Nvidia released a statement stating that they have patched security holes within their display drivers that could have led to a denial of service attacks, or could leave your personal information exposed for hackers. Drive update 430.64 was released on May 9 and remedies the security holes outlined below. Vulnerability CVE-2019-5675 is an issue within the kernel of the GPU, which is used to handle only trusted windows files. This issue can be exploited and used to launch denial of service attacks (DoS) and allow hackers administrative privileges over your system. Lastly, vulnerability CVE-2019-5677, another issue within the kernel, can lead to denial of service attacks (DoS). It is important that you update your cards immediately to avoid falling victim to any of these vulnerabilities. The newest driver update, released May 9, 2019, corrects each of the vulnerabilities listed above.
Tax season is no doubt a happy time for many Americans. The extra boost in cash from paying taxes makes everyone’s wallet feel great! However, where there is money, there are unwelcome guests. While many are preparing their taxes and W-2 forms, hackers are busy developing malware to infect and steal information from unsuspecting victims. It is important that we understand how these hackers aim to get access to banking information. What to Look For? The majority of these attacks come from email spam. By making the emails appears to be from large firms such as Paychex and ADP, these hackers aim to deceive people into opening and downloading malicious Microsoft Excel files. One downloaded, the Excel file will execute one of the most effective banking Trojans, Trickbot. While these attacks usually target businesses, that does not mean an individual will not come across this attack. The cybercriminals do their best to disguise the email as friendly, going as far as to replicate the names and emails of HR services and accounting companies. By making the email appear to be from someone the recipient knows, or is aware of, the guard of that person is lowered, making them more likely to open attachments. Just one unaware person can allow Trickbot to enter the company and spread to every computer on the network. What is Trickbot? Trickbot is malware specifically designed to silently infect a computer and steal sensitive data such as, banking credentials. Once the credentials are acquired, the Trojan proceeds to setup wire fraud directly from your own computer. Once infected, hackers have complete control over your machine, and can spread the attack to any other machines that are on the network. Trickbot is a top ranking Trojan and is still in development, adding new “skills” to the virus, making it even more destructive. What Can I Do to Stay Safe? In order to keep yourself protected during tax season, follow these safety tips: The IRS only uses snail mail as a means of communication. Therefore, if you receive an email, phone call, text message, social media message, do not respond. If you receive an email and it seems suspicious, do not click, open, or download any attachments or links. If the email is from someone you know, it is best to verify with the sender before opening any attachments, ZIP files, or RAR files. Disable macros by default in all Office applications. If a downloaded office attachment asks you to enable macros immediately close the excel and delete the file. Many malicious files need macros enabled in order to execute, and this includes Trickbot, which uses excel to inject its malicious code. Use updated antivirus protection and ensure you are protected against Trickbot. Make sure your computer is up to date and has no pending updates. By taking these extra steps you can ensure that you do not become the victim of Trickbot.
At Hammett Technologies, we cannot stress enough how important it is that you have proper security in place to protect your company and personal information from potential attacks. Most malware today is designed to steal sensitive information from a victim’s computer, making healthcare providers high-priority targets. Cyber security expects in Israel recently hacked into a local hospital, changing CT and MRI images of patients, either adding or taking away cancerous growths. While this attack was simulated, though the use of algorithms, cyber security researchers were able to accurately remove and add cancerous growths. This edited images caused doctors, as well as the hospitals own AI-assisted tools, to misdiagnose over 90% of their patients. This attack was meant to spread awareness to the vulnerability of not just hospital, but all healthcare providers. If hackers were to replicate this attack, the consequence would be massive. This type of attack can lead some to believe they have cancer, or worse can lead someone to die by thinking they do not. Furthermore, this kind of attack could go hand in hand with ransomware. If attempting to steal money from the hospital, a hacker could infect the machine with ransomware, “…holding the medical imagery hostage,” stated the cyber security team. It is important to understand that this issue does not relate to just hospital, but all healthcare providers. If your company handles sensitive information, your company is being watch by hackers. Therefore, it is vital that you take steps to ensure that customer information is safe. Ensure that all HIPAA Compliances are met, for both your company’s safety and the customers. Ensure firewalls are in place and are regularly updated and maintained. Lock down the network and all devices with strong passwords (8+ characters, symbols, numbers). If you are worried about your company’s compliance or safety, give Hammett Technologies a call! We can give you a free assessment and let you know where you stand against potential threats. When you partner with Hammett Technologies you don’t become a client, you become family. Sources: https://arxiv.org/pdf/1901.03597.pdf
Another example of how someone will attempt to trick you into giving out your personal information! Please, make sure you are always paying attention when going through your email. If an email appears sketchy, it most likely is! Most of the time, the biggest give away is the senders email address! The email address “accounts@office365.micros0ft.tech” should stand out as a red flag. Upon closer inspection you will notice that the “O” in Microsoft is in fact a “0”(zero). Once you notice something like this, make the email as spam and move along! Remember to always be on the lookout! If possible, get in contact with the company that email appears to be from! This will help you gain peace of mind, as well as notify the company of a possible issue!
Unfortunately, this attack may affect those of you who travel the most. If you have stayed at any of the following Starwood brand hotels, including the Marriot, your information could have been compromised. Westin Sheraton The Lucury Collection Four Points by Sheraton W Hotels St. Regis Le Méridien Aloft Element Tribute Portfolio Design Hotels If you have stay at one of the hotels, it is in your best interest that you assume your information has been compromised! Take precautions and prepare yourself for a variety of social engineering attacks. What to Look For Spear Phishing Alert: Starwood Preferred Guests accounts have been breached, therefore it is likely that attackers have access to both your work and personal email addresses. Now, having your email address, attacks will send you emails that appear to be from real corporations, in an attempt to gain further access to your personal information! Be on patrol for these kinds of email, and if you do spot one, mark it as spam and report it immediately Copycat Phishing and SMS Phishing: With your information now floating around in the wild, attackers will try numerous methods in order to gain further access into your personal information! Marriot has made a statement saying it would email any Starwood Preferred Guests as well as those who may be impacted. Therefore, it is safe to assume that the attackers will now always be sending you and email that will look almost identical. Therefore, to air on the side of caution, do not open any emails, click on any links, or download any attachments that have come from the Marriott or Starwood Hotels. Furthermore, do not respond to any voicemails, or texts that claim they are representatives from the hotels listed above. Instead, look up the hotel and call them directly yourself! Have a Chat with Accounting: Odds are you have a business credit card, and if you have stayed at one of the following hotels in the past 4 years, odds are the bad guys have that same exact card now. Therefore, ask accounting to watch the card for any suspicious activity! If you use your own credit card and get reimbursed, call your bank and inform them of the situation, change your password, and monitor your account closely! Do Not Search for “WebWatcher”: Marriott is offering those who were targeted in the US, Canada, and the UK, a free, one year subscription to a Kroll Identity Service called “WebWatcher”. This service monitors “internet sites where personal information is shared”. Decoded that means they watch hacking sites on the deep web for compromised data records. DO NOT search the web for this program. This search will lead you to programs that, while they carry the same name, are hosts to spyware and other dangerous viruses. If you want to sign up for the free monitoring service, follow the links at info.starwoodhotels.com to country specific versions. Traveling Safe When leaving for an office trip or vacation make sure you: before leaving the office while packing in the taxi at the airport in flight at meetings and conferences at the hotel Following these steps will make sure that you are secure when traveling!