#NSBCS.001 – Cybersecurity Awareness Month
As we round out October, and what was a busy Cybersecurity Awareness Month at NSB Cyber, here is a look at some of the most significant cyber security headlines:
DDoS attacks reach a new level: Google and Amazon announced the largest distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks to date, using a novel HTTP/2 "rapid reset" technique. The attack, which reached a peak in August, surpassed 398 million requests per second.
Hacker leaks millions more 23andMe user records: A hacker published a new dataset of 23andMe user information on a cybercrime forum, containing records of four million users. This was the second major 23andMe data breach in recent months.
North Korean threat actors exploiting TeamCity vulnerability: Microsoft observed two North Korean nation-state threat actors exploiting CVE-2023-42793, a remote-code execution vulnerability affecting multiple versions of JetBrains TeamCity server.
Cisco IOS XE Software Web UI Privilege Escalation Vulnerability: Cisco released a security advisory for a privilege escalation vulnerability in the Cisco IOS XE Software Web UI. The vulnerability could allow an attacker to gain elevated privileges on a vulnerable device.
Citrix urges immediate patching of critically vulnerable product lines: Citrix urged customers of NetScaler ADC and NetScaler Gateway to install updated versions of the networking products to prevent active exploitation of vulnerabilities that could lead to information disclosure and DoS attacks.
DarkGate Opens Organizations for Attack via Skype, Teams: The DarkGate malware was updated to exploit vulnerabilities in Microsoft Skype and Teams. The malware can be used to steal data and deploy other malware on a compromised device.
MATA attacks industrial companies in Eastern Europe: The MATA malware was updated to target industrial companies in Eastern Europe. The malware is capable of stealing sensitive data and disrupting operations.
It is a timely reminder for all organisations, to consider the theme put forward by the Australian government for Cybersecurity Awareness Month this year of 'Be Cyber Wise - Don't Compromise'. The theme included 4 simple steps you can take to be cyber wise and significantly boost your cyber security:
1. Update your devices regularly - Updating your devices regularly is crucial to ensure your software and security systems are fortified against potential vulnerabilities, reducing the risk of cyberattacks.
2. Turn on multi-factor authentication - Turning on multi-factor authentication adds an extra layer of security, making it significantly harder for unauthorized users to access your accounts.
3. Back up your important files - Backing up your important files safeguards against data loss in case of unforeseen events like hardware failure or ransomware attacks.
4. Use passphrases and password managers - Using passphrases and password managers enhances your online security by creating complex, unique passwords for each account, preventing unauthorized access through the use of easy-to-guess passwords.
For more information on how to build and maintain Cyber Resilience in your organisation and defend with confidence against the potential for cyber-attacks, click here.
References:
Google Cloud mitigated largest DDoS attack, peaking above 398 million rps - Google Cloud Blog
Hacker leaks millions more 23andMe user records on cybercrime forum - TechCrunch
Multiple North Korean threat actors exploiting the TeamCity CVE-2023-42793 vulnerability - Microsoft Security Blog
Cisco Releases Security Advisory for IOS XE Software Web UI - CISA
Citrix Products NetScaler ADC and NetScaler Gateway Zero Day Vulnerability - Cyber.gov.au
DarkGate malware spreads through compromised Skype accounts - bleepingcomputer.com
MATA malware framework exploits EDR in attacks on defense firms - bleepingcomputer.com