ISC2 Blog

Will Banks Adopting Open-Source Leave Them More Open to Supply Chain Cyber Attacks?

One of the biggest vindications of open-source software in recent years has been its widespread adoption by the finance sector. By Joe Fay In its 2022 State of Open Source in Financial Services report, the Fintech Open Source Foundation (FINOS) found that 87% of respondents agreed that open source is “valuable to the future” of the industry, with open-source consumption and the use of open standards seen as top factors in increasing productivity. Banks and other institutions have clearly decided it makes no sense to constantly develop their own software from the ground up when open-source alternatives exist. This not... Read more →

Latest Cyberthreats and Advisories - July 28, 2023

The myth of Mac’s malware invincibility, ransomware attacks skyrocketed in June and North Korean actors found to be behind the JumpCloud breach. Here are the latest threats and advisories for the week of July 28, 2023. Threat Advisories and Alerts Vulnerability Leaves 900,000 MikroTik Routers Open to Attack An estimated 900,000 MikroTik routers may be vulnerable to attack due to a new security flaw. The vulnerability (CVE-2023-30788) can provide cybercriminals entry into an organization’s network. "The worst-case scenario is that an attacker can install and execute arbitrary tools on the underlying Linux operating system," said security researcher Jacob Baines. Considering... Read more →

Latest Cyberthreats and Advisories - July 21, 2023

The cybercriminal version of ChatGPT, BreachForums’ founder pleads guilty and FBI warns of tech support scam. Here are the latest threats and advisories for the week of July 21, 2023. By John Weiler Threat Advisories and Alerts CISA Factsheet Offers Security Advice for Companies Transitioning to the Cloud The U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) has published the Free Tools for Cloud Environments factsheet to help protect companies migrating to the cloud. The factsheet provides cloud security guidance on how organizations can safeguard their data and critical assets from vulnerabilities, anomalies and other cyberthreats. CISA has encouraged organizations to... Read more →

Cybersecurity Industry News Review – July 18, 2023

Are cybersecurity professionals able to shape policy, the White House tackles smart device quality standards, the MOVEit breach keeps moving and a new resource for understanding maritime cyber threats. Survey To Look at Involvement of Cybersecurity Professionals in UK Policy Development Jen Ellis, founder of NextJenSecurity and also an Advisory Board Member for the U.K. Cabinet Office's Government Cybersecurity Advisory Board has launched a survey and is looking to understand the extent of involvement of frontline cybersecurity professionals in the U.K.’s cybersecurity policymaking process. This survey investigates whether cybersecurity professionals in the U.K. are interested in participating in, and have... Read more →

New cybersecurity express-learning opportunities with (ISC)² Skill-Builders

Cybersecurity never stands still. It’s a constantly evolving field that requires constant learning to stay in front of cyberthreats. (ISC)² Skill-Builders are a new way to stay current and demonstrate your knowledge of emerging cybersecurity topics. The quick, on-demand learning from cybersecurity’s leading professional organization features content created by industry experts. Learning activities focused on real-world activities ensure the content is accessible and relevant. Anyone can access the courses anytime, anywhere. (ISC)² Skill-Builders dive into the following focus areas: Entry-Level Cybersecurity Skill-Builders - Learn valuable fundamental skills as you pursue a career in cybersecurity. Cloud Security - Get up to... Read more →

Latest Cyberthreats and Advisories - July 14, 2023

Cybersecurity agencies warn of Truebot malware, ransomware and phishing attacks surge in 2023 and the rise of Clop ransomware gang. Here are the latest threats and advisories for the week of July 14, 2023. By John Weiler Threat Advisories and Alerts Cybersecurity Agencies Warn of New Truebot Malware Variants The U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) in conjunction with other domestic agencies and the Canadian Centre for Cyber Security (CCCS) have released a joint advisory that warns of Truebot malware variants. Truebot, which has been utilized by groups like Clop Ransomware, is a botnet used for data exfiltration. While... Read more →

Analysis: Capita Hack Raises Global Issues and Learning Opportunities to Prevent a Repeat

Incident highlights the value of asking tough questions early on at the due diligence stage, not after an attack when the damage is already done. By Joe Fay Wherever you look in the U.K., services and outsourcing giant Capita is woven into the technology landscape. It provides services to local and central government departments, the military, healthcare and education organizations, not least in administering their pension systems. The outsourcing giant is stitched right through the private sector too, with clients such as Royal Mail and AXA. So, when a company like Capita has what appears to be a major security... Read more →

Latest Cyberthreats and Advisories - June 9, 2023

Verizon releases annual data breach report, more than 90,000 people impacted in U.S. university breach and the BBC, British Airways and Boots compromised in MOVEit Transfer incident. Here are the latest threats and advisories for the week of June 9, 2023. By John Weiler Threat Advisories and Alerts Sextortion Schemes Transform Innocent Photos Into Explicit Content The U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has issued a warning to the public of an uptick in sextortion crimes. Likely due to the explosion of AI technology, malicious actors can transform innocent photos from a victim’s social media accounts into explicit, sexually-themed images.... Read more →

Cybersecurity Industry News Review - June 6, 2023

$400 million fund for AI and robotics start-ups, OpenAI to fund cybersecurity efforts while research shows that cybercriminals are targeting the friends and families of high-value organization executives. By Chris Green IQ Capital Gears Up For ‘Deep Tech’ Investment London-based venture investor IQ Capital has successfully raised $400 million (£320 million) across two funds, which it plans to invest in an array of so-called ‘deep tech’ start-ups focused on tech areas including artificial intelligence (AI), robotics, quantum computing and others. The venture capital firm primarily invests in seed to Series A stage startups in the UK and Europe. Its previous... Read more →

Latest Cyberthreats and Advisories - June 2, 2023

Cybercriminals hire humans to break CAPTCHAs, the meteoric rise of LockBit and a potential ransomware attack on the U.S. city of Augusta, Georgia. Here are the latest threats and advisories for the week of June 2, 2023. By John Weiler Threat Advisories and Alerts China State-Sponsored Actor Infiltrates U.S. Critical Infrastructure In a collaborative effort, cybersecurity authorities from the U.S., Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the U.K. have issued a joint advisory to highlight a series of events linked to a China state-sponsored threat actor known as Volt Typhoon. The cybercriminal’s activity impacts the networks of critical infrastructure sectors across... Read more →

Infosecurity Europe 2023 Preview – Our Pick of the Keynote Sessions

In the first of two previews of Infosecurity Europe 2023, we look at our top picks for unmissable keynote sessions across the three days of the conference, held at ExCel in London from June 20-22. By John E. Dunn As the pivotal cybersecurity conference in the region, every Infosecurity Europe conference is oriented to topical themes. This year is no exception, with the speaker lineup covering everything from the on-going anxiety of cyberwar, how zero trust can be made to work once it leaves the drawing board, and the never-ending puzzle of assessing supply chain risk. The following is our... Read more →

Latest Cyberthreats and Advisories - May 19, 2023

WordPress’s Elementor is vulnerable (again), the U.S. Department of Transportation is breached, 5.8 million medical records are posted online after PharMerica incident. Here are the latest threats and advisories for the week of May 19, 2023. By John Weiler Threat Advisories and Alerts Australian and U.S. Governments Release Advisory on BianLian Ransomware Group The Australian Cyber Security Centre (ACSC) has released a joint cybersecurity advisory with the U.S. outlining typical threat vectors and signs of ongoing attacks by the BianLian ransomware group. It is a relatively new group that uses trusted Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) credentials to gain network access... Read more →

#WorldPasswordDay - (ISC)² Members Weigh In

This year for World Password Day we have covered the history and misconceptions of passwords in Password Myths vs. Reality and dove into the benefits of password managers in Beyond Username and Password: Protecting Your Digital Identity. To wrap up the annual reminder of staying safe and secure online, we asked our group of (ISC)² Blog Volunteers for their insights and advice. What is your best advice as a cybersecurity professional to those outside of the industry when it comes to setting passwords? Continue to educate yourself, regardless of the industry you are in, the safety of data is not... Read more →

RSA Conference Day One: Disruption Key to Keeping Bad Actors At Bay

Day One of the RSA Conference opened with keynotes diagnosing a security identity crisis, while offering AI, platforms, and big dose of disruption as the cure for what ails the cybersecurity world. By Joe Fay The 2023 RSA Conference kicked off in San Francisco this week, with human delegates being confronted with speaker after speaker declaring that AI is taking over much of their jobs. Opening the conference, RSA CEO Rohit Ghai said that over the years, the core purpose of security platforms has evolved, but “in the AI era, it is security first, followed by convenience and compliance.” “AI... Read more →

Cybersecurity Industry News Review - April 25, 2023

Europe’s Air Traffic Control (ATC) agency under DDoS attack. Eavesdropping police in the U.K. spared massive fine. Numbers emerge after NCR ransomware attack. Hackers hit gold in secondhand routers. By Joe Fay “Pro-Russian” Hackers Dive Bomb European Air Traffic Control Agency Europe’s air traffic control agency, Eurocontrol, has been fighting off a cyberattack by pro-Russian hackers since April 19. The attack appears to have been a DDoS targeting the agency’s website. Pro-Russian group Killnet claimed to have launched a “100 hour” marathon against Eurocontrol. The agency declined to detail the nature of the attack but said its safety operations had... Read more →

#IdentityManagementDay - Best Practices to Help Keep Your Organization Secure

By Chinatu Uzuegbu, CISSP, CEO/Managing Cyber Security Consultant at RoseTech CyberCrime Solutions Ltd. We kicked off the Identity and Access Management Processes from the Top-Level Management approach. The Identity and Access Management Security Steering Committee is a group of C-Suites leaders, also referred to as the respective Data and Asset Owners from the various Business Units of my organization. The group met and established the governing policy around the Identity and Access Management Processes. The governance covers the Mandatory Access Control Policy and Trust Policy of the organization which are automatically enforced as the baselines on default. The governance of... Read more →

Cybersecurity Industry News Review – March 21, 2023

KillNet is bad for your health, TikTok facing further bans, ransomware impacts cancer test results, Russia allegedly increasing its cyberwarfare efforts. By Joe Fay Microsoft Demonstrates How KillNet Is Bad for Our Healthcare Sector Microsoft has highlighted a rise in DDoS attacks on healthcare organizations, mapping a three-fold increase in attacks over three months. It said it tracked 10 to 20 attacks per day on healthcare organizations on Azure in November but was seeing 40 to 60 per day in February. The attack mix changed over this time, it added, with over half of attacks now being UDP floods, with... Read more →

Analysis: Lookalike Confusable Domains Fuel Phishing Attacks

By John E. Dunn Phishing attacks depend on creating huge numbers of lookalike ‘confusable’ domains. A new report has highlighted the most prevalent examples and suggested a way to detect phishing domains before they are used in anger. Ever since phishing attacks gathered steam two decades ago, the ability of criminals to create ‘confusable’ or typosquatting domains that look plausibly similar to real ones has been a thorn in everyone’s side. Companies have their brands hijacked, users are tricked into clicking on phishing emails that look genuine, and registrars are roundly criticized for allowing all of this to happen. Large... Read more →

SVB Collapse: A Stark Warning for Technology and Cybersecurity Startups!

By Dave Cartwright, CISSP A week is a long time in most business sectors. In the intertwined world of banking and startups, it feels like an eternity as both sides deal with the fallout from the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank (SVB); the financial crisis impacting a myriad of startups suffering cashflow loss and disruption, with other banks now seemingly in poor shape after experiencing runs. For the technology and cybersecurity startups, not just those in California, that used SVB as their banker or lender (or both), its failure could delay or derail at least part of the next wave... Read more →

Latest Cyberthreats and Advisories - March 17, 2023

Cybercriminals pounce on SVB collapse, privacy concerns around ChatGPT and the FBI warns of a rise in crypto scams. Here are the latest threats and advisories for the week of March 17, 2023. By John Weiler Threat Advisories and Alerts FBI Warning: Cryptocurrency Investment Schemes on the Rise The U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is warning internet users of an increase in cryptocurrency investment scam schemes, which defrauded victims of over $2 billion in 2022. Cybercriminals (usually located overseas) use social media platforms, dating apps, professional networking apps and other online means to connect with targets. The criminals then... Read more →