Oct 23 2023
Welcome to Gone Phishing, your daily cybersecurity newsletter that terrorises cybercriminals like Bobby Charlton terrorised defenders ⚽???????? #RIPLegend
Today’s hottest cybersecurity news stories:
???? More malvertising: Google Ads used to con users looking for software ????
???? Woop, Woop, that’s the sound of the Europol! Ragnar Locker arrested ????
???? Okta’s support system gets hacked! Customer data exposed to scams ????????
Morning, cyber squad! ???? We've got some crucial details to share about a sneaky malvertising campaign that's been spotted in the wild. ????????????
???? What's the Scoop?
Our friends at Malwarebytes have uncovered some crafty cyber trickery! This campaign uses Google Ads to lure folks searching for popular software to fake landing pages and then sneakily delivers nasty payloads. ????????
???? Unique Fingerprinting & Time-Sensitive Payloads
This campaign is truly unique! It identifies users and delivers time-sensitive attacks. If you're looking for software like Notepad++ or PDF converters, watch out! Fake ads may pop up on your Google search results page. These ads cleverly filter out bots and unwanted IP addresses. ????????
???? The Bait & Switch
If the attackers find you interesting, they'll redirect you to a copycat website advertising the software. Meanwhile, they're silently checking if you're using a virtual machine. Those who fail the check are sent to the real Notepad++ site, while potential targets get a unique ID for tracking and making downloads unique. ????????️♀️
???? Cybersecurity Alert
The final-stage malware is an HTA payload connecting to a remote domain, "mybigeye[.]icu," on a custom port. It serves follow-on malware. Jérôme Segura, director of threat intelligence, says, "Threat actors are crafty and can bypass ad verification checks to target specific victims." ????????
???? Similar Campaign on the Radar
This revelation overlaps with another campaign targeting KeePass password manager users. Malicious ads direct victims to a domain using Punycode (keepass[.]info vs. ķeepass[.]info), a special encoding for tricky business. Victims may get redirected to the bad stuff. ????????
???? Cloaking the Way
People landing on the decoy site could be tricked into downloading a nasty installer, leading to FakeBat (aka EugenLoader). The combination of Punycode and rogue Google Ads is a new twist in the world of malvertising. It's all about luring you into installing malware. ????????
????️ Stay Informed & Vigilant
Malwarebytes warns that these attacks keep evolving, with different threat actors using visual tricks and fake browser updates to spread Cobalt Strike, loaders, stealers, and remote access trojans. They aim to fool you with compromised websites and customised lures. ????????
So, folks, stay sharp and be cautious while browsing the web. These cyber threats are getting more sophisticated, and it's essential to protect your digital self. ????????????
That's all for now. Stay safe and keep those devices secure! ????????????
Cybersecurity is more important than ever, and your Mac or PC are no exception. Over time, your Mac or PC can accumulate junk files, malware, and other threats that can slow it down and make it vulnerable to attack.
That's where MacPaw comes in. MacPaw offers a suite of easy-to-use apps that can help you clean, optimize, and secure your Mac. With MacPaw, you can:
Remove junk files and malware to free up space and improve performance
Protect your privacy by erasing sensitive data
Optimize your startup settings to speed up boot times
Manage your extensions and apps to keep your Mac or PC running smoothly
Since 2008 MacPaw is trusted by over 30 million users worldwide, and it's the perfect solution for keeping your Mac or PC safe and secure.
Big news! Europol has just made a significant move to combat cybercrime. They've taken down the infrastructure linked to the notorious Ragnar Locker ransomware and nabbed a key player in France. ????
????♂️ Coordinated Effort
Between October 16th and 20th, authorities in Czechia, Spain, and Latvia swung into action. The mastermind, suspected to be a Ragnar group developer, faced the Paris Judicial Court. Five other accomplices were questioned in Spain and Latvia, while servers and a data leak portal were confiscated in the Netherlands, Germany, and Sweden. ????????????️♂️
???? Global Collaboration
This effort involved authorities from around the world, including Czechia, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Latvia, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, Ukraine, and the U.S. Two suspects from the ransomware crew were arrested in Ukraine in 2021, with another member caught in Canada a year later. ????????????
???? Ragnar Locker's Notorious Past
Ragnar Locker, a cyber troublemaker since December 2019, targeted critical infrastructure worldwide. Eurojust revealed the group's knack for double extortion—demanding hefty payments for decryption tools and to keep sensitive data secret. Their attacks have hit 168 international companies since 2020. ????????????
????️ More Cyber Action
In Ukraine, the Cyber Police raided suspected members in Kyiv, seizing laptops, phones, and electronic media. Meanwhile, the Ukrainian Cyber Alliance (UCA) thwarted the Trigona ransomware group, shutting down their leak site and exfiltrating their data. ⚙️????????????
???? Ever-Evolving Threats
As we celebrate these victories, remember that cyber threats are always evolving. Hive, for example, has rebranded as Hunters International. Stay vigilant! ????????????️♀️
???? Crackdown on Cyber-Enabled Financial Crimes
India's Central Bureau of Investigation launched Operation Chakra-II, seizing phones, laptops, servers, SIM cards, and more across 11 states. This operation aimed to dismantle infrastructure used for tech support scams and cryptocurrency fraud. ????????????????
???? Extradition and Dark Web Bust
Sandu Diaconu, extradited from the U.K. to the U.S., faces charges related to running E-Root Marketplace. This website offered access to compromised computer credentials for ransomware attacks and more. ????????????
???? Ending with Accountability
In another case, Marquis Hooper, a former U.S. Navy IT manager, was sentenced to over five years in prison for obtaining and selling 9,000 U.S. citizens' personal info on the dark web for bitcoin. Justice prevails! ⚖️????????
Stay safe, stay vigilant, and keep those devices secure! ????️????????
???? 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)
We have an important security update for you! Identity services provider Okta recently revealed an incident where unknown threat actors used stolen credentials to access its support case management system. ????????
???? The Key Details
According to David Bradbury, Okta's chief security officer, the threat actors were able to view files uploaded by certain Okta customers as part of recent support cases. However, it's crucial to note that this support case management system is separate from the main Okta service, which remains fully operational and untouched by this incident. ????????????????
???? Customer Notification
Okta is taking this seriously. They've directly notified the customers who have been affected by this incident. If you're one of them, be sure to follow their guidance and recommendations. ????????
????️ The Support System
Okta also mentioned that the customer support system is used to upload HTTP Archive (HAR) files for troubleshooting purposes. These HAR files can contain sensitive data like cookies and session tokens, which could be exploited by malicious actors to impersonate valid users. Stay cautious! ????????????
???? Preventative Measures
To protect users, Okta worked with affected customers to revoke the session tokens and prevent potential misuse. This proactive approach is vital for safeguarding data and identities. ????️????
???? Incident Details
Okta did not specify the scale, exact timeline, or when they detected the unauthorised access. As of March 2023, they serve over 17,000 customers and manage around 50 billion users. ????????️????
???? Targeted Companies
BeyondTrust and Cloudflare confirmed they were targeted in this support system attack. Cloudflare described it as a sophisticated attack where a threat actor hijacked a session token from a support ticket created by one of their employees. Thankfully, no customer information or systems were compromised. ????????️♂️????
????️ Ongoing Investigation
While BeyondTrust detected and resolved the attack promptly with their own identity tools, the situation remains under investigation. Okta has become a high-value target due to its widespread use by major companies. ????????????
☁️ Silver Lining
Okta mentioned that the breach only impacted around 1% of their 18,400 customers. They are actively working to secure their services and protect your data. ????????
Your online security is paramount! Stay informed, stay safe, and keep an eye on any updates from Okta. ????????????
Until next time, folks!
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So long and thanks for reading all the phish!
