Nov 15 2023
Welcome to Gone Phishing, your daily cybersecurity newsletter that is to cybersecurity what Donald Trump is to the UFC. They bloody love him! Apart from Bill Burr’s wife… ????????????
Today’s hottest cybersecurity news
???? Canadian Moneris bank claims they thwarted ransomware attack ????
???? Denmark of the cyber-beast: Danes suffer worst ever cyber attack ????????
???? DP World cyberattack blocks (hehe) 1000s of containers in ports ????
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Great news, folks! Moneris, a tech company backed by Canada’s top banks, has successfully fended off a recent ransomware attack! ????️????
???? Enter Medusa ????
Toronto-based Moneris, a joint venture of the Royal Bank of Canada and Bank of Montreal, reported a cyber intrusion by the Medusa ransomware gang. However, Moneris’s cybersecurity team swiftly sprang into action, preventing access to critical data without any ransom demand. ????????
???? Disaster averted ????
Despite attempts to breach their networks, Moneris reassures us that their robust security measures were not compromised. The company, which handles transactions at over 325,000 merchant locations across Canada, remains dedicated to safeguarding customer data. ????
???? Moneris don’t play ????
While details about the attack’s timing remain undisclosed, Moneris emphasises its commitment to customer protection and swift response to cyber threats. The Medusa gang, notorious for high-profile attacks, targeted Moneris but was met with resilient cybersecurity practices, according to the bank. ????????
It’s worth noting that Moneris has been asked several times whether they paid the $6 million ransom and has refused to answer on all occasions. #justsaying ????
Ransomware gangs are increasingly targeting financial infrastructure globally, with the recent LockBit attack on the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China causing disruptions in the U.S. Treasury market. Let’s stay vigilant and cyber-secure, folks! ????????????
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A recent report by SektorCERT, a Danish nonprofit cybersecurity centre, reveals a sophisticated cyberattack on Danish critical infrastructure, possibly linked to the Russian GRU Main Intelligence Directorate. ????????
???? Digital Doomsday ????
In May, 22 energy-related companies fell victim to highly coordinated attacks exploiting zero-day vulnerabilities in Zyxel firewalls. Most affected companies hadn’t updated their firewalls, some due to installation charges, others due to misconceptions about existing updates. ????️????
The cyberattack showcased meticulous planning and coordination, with hackers gaining remote access to industrial control systems. Eleven companies were immediately compromised, hindering warnings to others. The purpose was intelligence gathering, with attackers executing code to extract usernames and configurations.
???? Stop Russian to judgement ????
Attribution points to Russian military hackers known as Sandworm, previously linked to critical infrastructure attacks in Ukraine. While some breached companies isolated themselves to prevent the attack’s spread, the attackers’ motives and potential involvement of multiple groups remain unclear.
SektorCERT emphasises the need for segmented networks, urging companies to map network inputs to operational technology systems for enhanced cybersecurity. Stay vigilant, and let’s secure our digital frontiers! ????????️????
???? The Motley Fool: “Fool me once, shame on — shame on you. Fool me — you can’t get fooled again.” Good ol’ George Dubya ???? Let us tell who’s not fooling around though; that’s the Crüe ???? at Motley Fool. You’d be a fool (alright, enough already! ????) not to check out their Share Tips from time to time so your savings can one day emerge from their cocoon as a beautiful butterfly! ???? Kidding aside, if you check out their website they’ve actually got a ton of great content with a wide variety of different investment ideas to suit most budgets ???? (LINK)
???? Wander: Find your happy place. Cue Happy Gilmore flashback ????️⛳????????️ Mmmm Happy Place… ???? So, we’ve noticed a lot of you guys are interested in travel. As are we! We stumbled upon this cool company that offers a range of breath-taking spots around the United States and, honestly, the website alone is worth a gander. When all you see about the Land of the free and the home of the brave is news of rioting, looting and school shootings, it’s easy to forget how beautiful some parts of it are. The awe-inspiring locations along with the innovative architecture of the hotels sets Wander apart from your run of the mill American getaway ????️???? (LINK)
???? Digital Ocean: If you build it they will come. Nope, we’re not talking about a baseball field for ghosts ⚾???????? (Great movie, to be fair ????). This is the Digital Ocean who’ve got a really cool platform for building and hosting pretty much anything you can think of. If you check out their website you’ll find yourself catching the buzz even if you can’t code (guilty ????). But if you can and you’re looking for somewhere to test things out or launch something new or simply enhance what you’ve got, we’d recommend checking out their services fo’ sho ???? And how can you not love their slogan: Dream it. Build it. Grow it. Right on, brother! ???? (LINK)
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DP World Australia, a global logistics giant handling 40% of Australia’s container trade, faced a severe cyberattack on November 10, disrupting freight movements in key ports. ????????
???? Def Con 4 ????
The company, with an annual revenue exceeding $10 billion, activated emergency plans and engaged cybersecurity experts to address the incident. Currently testing systems to resume normal operations, DP World is gradually restoring services.
Approximately 30,000 containers, including time-sensitive goods like blood plasma and premium food items, remained stagnant since the attack. Damage estimates soar into the millions.
????️ Internal Affairs ????️
While data access and theft are potential concerns, an internal investigation is ongoing, and DP World is collaborating with the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner to assess the impact on personal information.
As of now, no ransomware group has claimed responsibility, and the company has not commented on data theft. Stay tuned for updates on this developing situation. ???????? ????
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So long and thanks for reading all the phish!
