Microsoft Warns of New Java-Based “PonyFinal” Ransomware Used as Part of Human-Operated Attacks

Jun 19, 2020 4:25:29 PM By Stu Sjouwerman

Microsoft’s recent posts detailing a new Java attack that uses PowerShell and other legitimate tools to infect victims with ransomware sheds light on human-operated attacks.

WARNING: The List of Ransomware-Turned-Data Breach Operators is Getting Long

Jun 19, 2020 4:21:06 PM By Stu Sjouwerman

Seeing a better opportunity to generate more “revenue” from their victims, the idea of ransomware also exfiltrating data to be used to extort the payment is gaining steam.

Top 12 Most Common Rogue URL Tricks

Jun 19, 2020 3:18:27 PM By Roger Grimes

It’s nearly impossible to find an Internet scam or phishing email that doesn’t involve a malicious Uniform Resource Locator (URL) link of some type. The link either directs the user to a ...

How to Keep SOX on Track During a Pandemic

Jun 18, 2020 1:39:14 PM By Stu Sjouwerman

It’s been several weeks since COVID-19 entered our vocabulary and made working from home the new normal, according to Accounting Today. Professionals over the last month are adapting to ...

Microsoft on COVID-19 Themed Cyberattacks

Jun 18, 2020 9:33:19 AM By Stu Sjouwerman

Microsoft’s Threat Protection Intelligence Team has published a report providing a detailed look into the proliferation of COVID-19-themed phishing over the past several months. The ...

The Face of APT Actors

Jun 18, 2020 7:00:00 AM By Javvad Malik

If I were to ask you to picture in your mind a shady criminal organisation consisting of cyber mercenaries, ones that took money from clients, asked no questions, and over the period of ...

Researchers Uncover Six Years of Russian Attempts to Mold International Politics

Jun 17, 2020 4:06:43 PM By Stu Sjouwerman

Researchers uncover six-years-worth of Russian attempts to mold international politics using fake news and forged documents. Social media research group Graphika published today a ...

Phony Data Theft, Like Phony Sextortion

Jun 17, 2020 9:55:30 AM By Stu Sjouwerman

Extortionists are sending phony threats to website owners informing them that their sites’ databases will be leaked unless they pay a ransom of between $1,500 and $3,000, BleepingComputer ...

Increase in BLM Domain Names Forecasts BLM Phishing Attacks

Jun 16, 2020 3:26:04 PM By Roger Grimes

There has been a significant increase in DNS domain names containing blacklivesmatter or George Floyd’s name and there’s a good chance some of those are owned by people with malicious ...

Twitter Takes Down Over 32,000 Nation State Accounts Involved in Disinformation Campaigns

Jun 16, 2020 3:14:08 PM By Stu Sjouwerman

Manipulation/disinformation campaigns are running rampant on social media and Twitter just took action -- again. "Disinformation" is a form of propaganda honed into an art form by Russia. ...

BEC Isn't Back; It Never Left

Jun 16, 2020 8:27:32 AM By Stu Sjouwerman

Business email compromise (BEC) attacks aren’t new, but they’re growing increasingly effective, according to Zeljka Zorz at Help Net Security. Zorz cites an article from BakerHostetler, ...

Another Bitcoin Scam, with Bogus SpaceX on the Side

Jun 15, 2020 8:24:13 AM By Stu Sjouwerman

Scammers took over three popular YouTube channels and used them to impersonate the official SpaceX channel to generate cryptocurrency, according to Lisa Vaas at Naked Security. The ...

Fraudsters Are Exploiting Newborns and Recently Deceased People

Jun 12, 2020 9:21:12 AM By Stu Sjouwerman

Criminals are crafting detailed fake identities using data belonging to newly born and recently deceased people, according to Sanjay Gupta, Vice President, Global Head of Products and ...

Australian Beverage Manufacturer Shutdown IT Systems After Cyberattack

Jun 12, 2020 8:50:29 AM By Stu Sjouwerman

A cyberattack forced Australian beverage manufacturer Lion to shut down its IT system, interrupting manufacturing and orders, the company disclosed on June 9.

Japan CERT: 75% of BEC Email Scams Involve the Forgery of an Invoice from a Business Partner

Jun 11, 2020 4:59:28 PM By Stu Sjouwerman

New research from the Japan Computer Emergency Response Team provides needed insight into what tactics and methods are used as part of Business Email Compromise scams.

Multifactor Authentication Versus Credential Stuffing?

Jun 11, 2020 12:51:34 PM By Stu Sjouwerman

You shouldn’t assume multi-factor authentication will protect your accounts from credential stuffing attacks, according to Gerhard Giese at Akamai. Credential stuffing is a type of ...

Maze Ransomware “Cartel” Adds More Ransomware Gangs to its Data Leak Platform

Jun 10, 2020 8:27:16 AM By Stu Sjouwerman

It’s one thing if you’re up against one ransomware cybercriminal group. But what happens when they start acting like the good guys and joining forces?

Pretexting Defined

Jun 10, 2020 8:23:00 AM By Stu Sjouwerman

Pretexting is a social engineering tactic in which an attacker attempts to gain information, access, or money by tricking a victim into trusting them, according to Josh Fruhlinger at CSO ...

[HEADS UP] Recent Phishing Attack in Germany Hits Coronavirus Task Force

Jun 9, 2020 11:28:26 AM By Stu Sjouwerman

An ongoing phishing attack has been targeting executives of a company working to provide the German coronavirus task force with protective gear. The company is multinational and more than ...

The Enduring Threat of Ransomware During COVID-19

Jun 9, 2020 8:53:41 AM By Stu Sjouwerman

Ransomware attacks continue to blight organizations of all sizes and sectors. The number of incidents involving ransomware reported to Beazley Breach Response (BBR) Services in the first ...

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