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Black Arrow Cyber Advisory 05/04/2022 – Zyxel Authentication Bypass Vulnerability Identified
Executive Summary
A critical flaw has been discovered within Zyxel Firewall products, allowing for a malicious user to bypass the Authentication requirement on the device, enabling unauthorised privileged access. The bug impacts several Zyxel Firewall Network Access Control (NAC) systems as detailed within the technical summary. The bug, achieves a 9.8 on the Common Vulnerability Scoring System (CVSS).
What’s the risk to my business?
Due to the severity of the bug, and the ability for attackers to gain unauthorised privileged access to critical perimeter defence, the risk to businesses operating affected Zyxel Firewalls is high.
What can I do?
The bug has been reported, and a patch has been issued. Businesses operating these devices are urged to implement as soon as possible.
Technical Summary
Zyxel have issued a patch for bug CVE-2022-0342, which was disclosed on 03/28/2022. Zyxel’s investigation has only been focused on devices within their warranty and support period. The following Zyxel products are confirmed to be affected, with the appropriate patches listed:
· USG/ZyWALL, running version ZLD V4.20 to ZLD V4.70 | Fixed in Patch ZLD V4.71
· USG FLEX, running version ZLD V4.50 to ZLD V5.20 | Fixed in Patch ZLD V5.21 Patch 1
· ATP, running version ZLD V4.32 to ZLD V5.20 | Fixed in Patch ZLD V5.21 Patch 1
· VPN, running version ZLD V4.30 to ZLD V5.20 | Fixed in Patch ZLD V5.21
· NSG, running version V1.20 to V1.33 Patch 4 | Fixed in Hotfix V1.33p4_WK11, available from vendor. Fix will be included in standard patch V1.33 Patch 5 when released in May 2022.
Need help understanding your gaps, or just want some advice? Get in touch with us.
Black Arrow Cyber Threat Briefing 01 April 2022
Black Arrow Cyber Threat Briefing 01 April 2022
-One Tenth of UK Staff Bypass Corporate Security
-Majority Of Data Security Incidents Caused by Insiders
-One-Third of UK Firms Suffer A Cyber Attack Every Week
-Russia's Cyber Criminals Fear Sanctions Will Erase Their Wealth
-86% Of Organisations Believe They Have Suffered a Nation-State Cyber Attack
-Multiple Hacking Groups Are Using the War in Ukraine As A Lure In Phishing Attempts
-4 Ways Attackers Target Humans to Gain Network Access
-Security Incidents Reported to FCA Surge 52% in 2021
-NCSC Suggests Rethinking Russian Supply Chain Risks
-25% Of Workers Lost Their Jobs In The Past 12 Months After Making Cyber Security Mistakes: Report
-Attackers Compromise 94% Of Critical Assets Within Four Steps Of Initial Breach
-UK Spy Chief Warns Russia Looking for Cyber Targets
Black Arrow Cyber Advisory – Apple releases patches for actively exploited zero-days across Mac, iPhone and iPad
Black Arrow Cyber Advisory – Apple releases patches for actively exploited zero-days across Mac, iPhone and iPad.
Executive Summary
Apple has released security updates yesterday, 31/03/2022, in response to two actively exploited zero-day vulnerabilities affecting iPhones, iPads and Mac Computers. One vulnerability allows attackers to execute malicious code with privileged access, while the other allows attackers to read privileged memory on the device. Apple has only released limited information on the vulnerabilities at this time.
Black Arrow Cyber Advisory – Spring4Shell Remote Code Execution Vulnerability
Black Arrow Cyber Advisory – Spring 4 Shell Remote Code Execution Vulnerability
Executive Summary
Spring Core is a popular framework used for creating Java-based enterprise applications. Spring4Shell is a critical zero-day bug within this framework, that allows attackers to remotely execute code on affecting systems running certain, non-default configurations. Due to the popularity, Spring Core may be found within many java-based enterprise applications, and Java, is an almost ubiquitous software that’s found in billions of devices across the globe, from the enterprise to the home. The bug has been deemed “Critical”, primarily due to the remote root or administrator capabilities of an attacker if exploited.
Black Arrow Cyber Threat Briefing 25 March 2022
Black Arrow Cyber Threat Briefing 25 March 2022:
-Morgan Stanley Client Accounts Breached in Social Engineering Attacks
-Ransomware Is Scary, But Another Scam Is Costing Victims Much, Much More
-Phishing Kits Constantly Evolve to Evade Security Software
-Ransomware Payments, Demands Rose Dramatically in 2021
-7 Suspected Members of LAPSUS$ Hacker Gang, Aged 16 to 21, Arrested in UK
-Here's How Fast Ransomware Encrypts Files
-HEAT Attacks: A New Class of Cyber Threats Organisations Are Not Prepared For
-The Cyber Warfare Predicted In Ukraine May Be Yet To Come
-The Three Russian Cyber Attacks The West Most Fears
-Do These 8 Things Now To Boost Your Security Ahead Of Potential Russian Cyber Attacks
-Cyber Crime Victims Suffered Losses of Over $6.9B in 2021 in the US Alone
-Expanding Threat Landscape: Cyber Criminals Attacking from All Sides
Black Arrow Cyber Threat Briefing 18 March 2022
Black Arrow Cyber Threat Briefing 18 March 2022
-Guernsey Cyber Security Warning For Islanders And Businesses
-CISOs Face 'Perfect Storm' Of Ransomware And State-Supported Cyber Crime
-Four Key Risks Exacerbated By Russia’s Invasion Of Ukraine
-These Four Types Of Ransomware Make Up Nearly Three-Quarters Of Reported Incidents
-Critical Infrastructure Threat as Ransomware Groups Target 'Enemies of Russia'
-Cyber Insurance War Exclusions Loom Amid Ukraine Crisis
-Zelenskyy Deepfake Crude, But Still Might Be A Harbinger Of Dangers Ahead
-Cyber Crooks’ Political In-Fighting Threatens the West
-Cloud-Based Email Threats Surge 50% in 2021
-Millions of New Mobile Malware Strains Blitzed Enterprise in 2021
-UK Criminal Defence Lawyer Hadn't Patched When Ransomware Hit
-Russian Ransomware Gang Retool Custom Hacking Tools Of Other APT Groups
-The Massive Impact of Vulnerabilities In Critical Infrastructure
Black Arrow Cyber Threat Briefing 11 March 2022
Black Arrow Cyber Threat Briefing 11 March 2022
-Sharp Rise in SMB Cyberattacks By Russia And China
-We're Seeing An 800% Increase in Cyber Attacks, Says One MSP
-Internet Warfare: How The Russians Could Paralyse Britain
-Just 3% Of Employees Cause 92% Of Malware Events
-70% Of Breached Passwords Are Still in Use
-Organisations Taking Nearly Two Months To Remediate Critical Risk Vulnerabilities
-Android Malware Escobar Steals Your Google Authenticator MFA Codes
-Smartphone Malware Is On The Rise - Here's How To Stay Safe
-Russia May Use Ransomware Payouts to Avoid Sanctions’ Financial Harm
-How An 8-Character Password Could Be Cracked in Less Than An Hour
-Cyber Insurance and Business Risk: How the Relationship Is Changing Reinsurance & Policy Guidance
-Security Teams Prep Too Slowly for Cyber Attacks
Black Arrow Cyber Threat Briefing 04 March 2022
Black Arrow Cyber Threat Briefing 04 March 2022
-Cyber Criminals Exploit Invasion of Ukraine
-UK Data Watchdog Urges Vigilance Amid Heightened Cyber Threat
-Phishing - Still a Problem, Despite All The Work
-Phishing Attacks Hit All-Time High In December 2021
-Ransomware Infections Top List Of The Most Common Results Of Phishing Attacks
-Social Media Phishing Attacks Are at An All Time High
-Insurance Giant AON Hit by a Cyber Attack
-How Prepared Are Organisations To Face Email-Based Ransomware Attacks?
-The Most Impersonated Brands in Phishing Attacks
-As War Escalates In Europe, It’s ‘Shields Up’ For The Cyber Security Industry
-2022 May Be The Year Cyber Crime Returns Its Focus To Consumers
-Kaspersky Neutral Stance In Doubt As It Shields Kremlin
Black Arrow Cyber Threat Briefing 25 February 2022
Black Arrow Cyber Threat Briefing 25 February 2022
-Britain Warns of Cyber Attacks as Russia-Ukraine Crisis Escalates
-Ransomware Extortion Doesn't Stop After Paying The Ransom
-Ukraine Calls For Volunteer Hackers To Protect Its Critical Infrastructure And Spy On Russian Forces
-Study: UK Firms Most Likely To Pay Ransomware Hackers
-Conti Ransomware Group Announces Support of Russia, Threatens Retaliatory Attacks
-91% of UK Organisations Compromised by an Email Phishing Attack in 2021
-Almost 100,000 New Mobile Banking Trojan Strains Detected In 2021
-Anonymous Collective Has Hacked The Russian Defence Ministry And Leaked The Data Of Its Employees In Response To The Ukraine Invasion
-Email Remains Go-To Method for Cyber Attacks, Phishing Research Report Finds
-The Future of Cyber Insurance
-Businesses Are at Significant Risk of Cyber Security Breaches Due to Immature Security Hygiene and Posture Management Practices
-Microsoft Teams Is The New Frontier For Phishing Attacks
Black Arrow Cyber Alert – Ukraine Crisis Impact, Escalating Russian Hostilities
Black Arrow Cyber Alert – Ukraine Crisis Impact, Escalating Russian Hostilities
Executive Summary
As the crisis in Ukraine continues to escalate, Black Arrow are advising all parties to remain vigilant to an increasingly likely flashpoint that will include cyber attacks. While the conflict may take place far away from the Channel Islands, UK and wider world, these borders are negligible, if they exist at all, in the digital space.
We recommend you provide your staff with additional awareness to the potential for attack and damage, which may present itself in several ways and not necessarily be targeted. These might be traditional email-based attacks, though they may also involve delivery mechanisms such as infected documents, malicious websites or direct attacks on infrastructure. In many cases, staff may be accustomed to receiving emails with links and documents from trusted third parties, however in the current climate these should be treated with caution in case the correspondence or the sender’s account has been compromised or spoofed.
Due to the involvement of national governments and the funding this provides, there is a strong likelihood of zero-day attacks being used that have been developed for wartime scenarios. Criminal enterprises are also likely to take advantage of any chaos, as they have during the Covid-19 Pandemic. These may include emails with an official appearance or warning, Smishing campaigns or other methods that leverage urgency and fear. Staff should be encouraged to report any suspicious activity, no matter how small.
We also recommend that you confirm, in detail, the monitoring that is in place through your internal IT function or outsourced IT provider, and how they would identify and alert you to an attempted or ongoing incident. This should be part of your incident response plan, which is rehearsed regularly.
Need help understanding your gaps, or just want some advice? Get in touch with us.
Black Arrow Cyber Threat Briefing 18 February 2022
Black Arrow Cyber Threat Briefing 18 February 2022
-Small Businesses Facing Upwards of 11 Cyber Threats Per Day Per Device
-As Ukraine Tensions Rise, UK Organisations Should Protect Themselves From Cyber Threats
-Microsoft Teams Targeted With Takeover Trojans
-The European Central Bank is Warning Banks of Possible Russia-Linked Cyber Attack Amid the Rising Crisis With Ukraine
-Companies Face Soaring Prices For Cyber Insurance
-Even When Warned, Businesses Ignore Critical Vulnerabilities And Hope For The Best
-Ransomware-Related Data Leaks Nearly Doubled in 2021: Report
-Online Fraud Skyrocketing: Gaming, Streaming, Social Media, Travel and Ecommerce Hit the Most
-Poor Security Hygiene Organisations and Ransomware Attacks: Painful Math
-Security Teams Expect Attackers to Go After End Users First
-US Warns of Imminent Russian Invasion of Ukraine With Tanks, Jet Fighters, Cyber Attacks
-TrickBot Malware Targeted Customers of 60 High-Profile Companies Since 2020
Black Arrow Cyber Threat Briefing 11 February 2022
Black Arrow Cyber Threat Briefing 11 February 2022:
-UK, US, Australia Issue Joint Advisory: Ransomware on the Loose, Critical National Infrastructure Affected
-Ransomware Groups and APT Actors Laser-Focused on Financial Services
-Why the C-Suite Should Focus on Understanding Cybersecurity and Investing Appropriately
-Almost $1.3bn Paid to Ransomware Actors Since 2020
-Cyber Crooks Frame Targets by Planting Fabricated Digital Evidence
-Highly Evasive Adaptive Threats (HEAT) Bypassing Traditional Security Defenses
-LockBit, BlackCat, Swissport, Oh My! Ransomware Activity Stays Strong
-2021 Was The Most Prolific Year On Record For Data Breaches
-$1.3 Billion Lost to Romance Scams in the Past Five Years
-Cyber Security Compliance Still Not A Priority For Many
-The World is Falling Victim to the Growing Trickbot Attacks in 2022
-“We Absolutely Do Not Care About You”: Sugar Ransomware Targets Individuals
Spaces available on our next open Cyber Security User Education and Awareness Training Wednesday 23 February 2022 9:00am - 12:00pm £150 per person
Spaces available on our next open Cyber Security User Education and Awareness Training
Wednesday 23 February 2022 9:00am - 12:00pm
£150 per person
Black Arrow Cyber Threat Briefing 02 February 2022
Black Arrow Cyber Threat Briefing 02 February 2022:
-Why Cyber Change Outpaces Boardroom Engagement
-NCSC Alerts UK Orgs To Brace For Destructive Russian Cyber Attacks
-Ransomware: Over Half Of Attacks Are Targeting These Three Industries
-Third of Employees Admit to Exfiltrating Data When Leaving Their Job
-Massive Social Engineering Waves Have Impacted Banks In Several Countries
-Ransomware Is Terrifying – But Never Underestimate The Damage An Employee With Unmonitored Access Can Do
-People Working In IT Related Roles Equally Susceptible To Phishing Attempts As The General Population
-FBI Says More Cyber Attacks Come From China Than Everywhere Else Combined
-Managing Detections Is Not the Same as Stopping Breaches
-From War to Web Security, Protect Your Attack Surface from the Weakest Link
-Number Of Data Compromises Reaching All-Time High
Black Arrow Cyber Advisory – Trend Micro Disclose Samba (SMB) Remote Code Execution Bug
Black Arrow Cyber Advisory – Trend Micro Disclose Samba (SMB) Remote Code Execution Bug
Our latest published article, How Contracts Can Manage Your Risk In A Cyber Incident, Black Arrow with Sean Cheong
Our latest published article, How Contracts Can Manage Your Risk In A Cyber Incident, Black Arrow with Sean Cheong
Black Arrow Cyber Threat Briefing 28 January 2022
Black Arrow Cyber Threat Briefing 28 January 2022
-UK Warned To Bolster Defences Against Cyber Attacks As Russia Threatens Ukraine - BBC News
-Cyber Attacks And Ransomware Hit A New Record In 2021, Says Report
-Ransomware Families Becoming More Sophisticated With Newer Attack Methods
-More Than 90% Of Enterprises Surveyed Have Been Hit By Successful Cyberattacks
-Ransomware Gangs Increase Efforts To Enlist Insiders For Attacks
-Shipment-Delivery Scams Become the Favoured Way to Spread Malware
-Most Ransomware Infections Are Self-Installed
-Staff Negligence Is Now A Major Reason For Insider Security Incidents
-22 Cyber Security Myths Organisations Need To Stop Believing In 2022
-Android Malware Can Factory-Reset Phones After Draining Bank Accounts
-GDPR Fines Surged Sevenfold to $1.25 Billion in 2021: Study
-Cyber Security In 2022 – A Fresh Look At Some Very Alarming Stats
Black Arrow Cyber Advisory – LockBit Ransomware Now Actively Targeting VMware ESXi Hosts
Black Arrow Cyber Advisory – LockBit Ransomware Now Actively Targeting VMware ESXi Hosts
Executive Summary
LockBit, a ransomware gang that first came to prominence in 2021, has made improvements to its Ransomware-as-a-Service (RaaS), advertising that it will now actively target VMware ESXi virtual machines. VMware ESXi is a highly popular virtualisation platform and is found in most business environments globally and allows for the consolidation of software servers and services onto a single physical machine, saving both space and costs. The new LockBit features include the ability to find all running Virtual Machines (VMs) and manipulate their power states to ensure they are encrypted successfully.
What’s the risk to me or my business?
Due to the popularity of ESXi, there is an increased risk to those running the platform. The changes demonstrate that RaaS operators are keenly aware that businesses present lucrative targets, actively implementing features that have the greatest potential for harm in an enterprise environment.
What can I do?
Ensure that your systems and services across your network remain up-to-date and current. Attackers will often use a combination of bugs, vulnerabilities and misconfigurations to breach an environment before going on to exploit other devices. For ESXi specifically, consider disabling Secure Shell (SSH) if enabled, and ensure the use of TLS (HTTPS) on any exposed web interfaces.
Need help understanding your gaps, or just want some advice? Get in touch with us.
Black Arrow Cyber Advisory – “PwnKit” Bug Allows Root Access on the Ubiquitous Linux Operating System
Black Arrow Cyber Advisory – “PwnKit” Bug Allows Root Access on the Ubiquitous Linux Operating System
Executive Summary
Security researchers have revealed a new toolkit bug in the Linux operating system, the software that drives most of the world. Linux is found everywhere, from firewalls and network switches to cars and huge industrial machines. The tool, ‘pkexec’, was found to be vulnerable to privilege escalation, allowing an attacker to gain root or administrator privileges with ease.
What’s the risk to me or my business?
As Linux runs in almost every environment in the world, an attacker with access to the system could exploit the vulnerability to take control. The attack can become particularly potent when used in combination with other exploits on an unpatched system. Security researchers note the attack is ‘trivially exploitable’, leading to a dangerous situation if a system is indeed susceptible.
What can I do?
A patch has been issued for the bug, which should be implemented as soon as possible on any device that may be running Linux. It is recommended that systems in general be patched as often as practicable to reduce overall risk.
Technical Summary
Security researchers have disclosed a buffer overflow attack in Polkit, a tool allowing programs without special privileges to run safely with services requiring root. The bug exploits environment variables, allowing an attacker to use NULL references to craft the overflow. As a result a malicious user could, even on an account with minimal privileges, use the misalignment to introduce dangerous environment variables to elevate their session.
Need help understanding your gaps, or just want some advice? Get in touch with us.
Black Arrow Cyber Advisory – 20,000 HP Servers Have Their Management Interface Exposed to the Internet
Black Arrow Cyber Advisory – 20,000 HP Servers Have Their Management Interface Exposed to the Internet
Executive Summary
Integrated Lights Out (iLO) is a low-level management interface on Hewlett-Packard (HP) servers, intended for out-of-band or outside-of-operating system access. The service is most used by IT staff managing the device for remote support operations, such as powering the system off, updating firmware or viewing the display via the network. Despite a recent and serious bug dubbed ‘iLOBleed’, approximately 24,000 iLO devices are still exposed to the internet and searchable with Google.
What’s the risk to me or my business?
HP servers are very common in business settings and remain the popular choice globally. Most of these servers come with iLO pre-installed, which makes them a lucrative target to attackers when vulnerable, particularly given their low-level access. In combination with vulnerabilities like ‘iLOBleed’, remotely exposing iLO to the web presents a low hanging fruit that may be too attractive to pass up.
What can I do?
Check with your IT team or MSP to ensure that you aren’t exposing anything to the web that shouldn’t be there, even beyond iLO. Misconfigurations or services such as Universal Plug and Play (UPNP) can expose devices without your knowledge, leaving you open to attack where the exposed systems are vulnerable.
Need help understanding your gaps, or just want some advice? Get in touch with us.