Jan 01 2024
Welcome to Gone Phishing, your daily cybersecurity newsletter that wishes you a Happy New Year ???????????? and wants you to make your new year’s resolution to be not to click on any phishy looking emails ????????????
Today’s hottest cybersecurity news stories:
⚠️ Scam-as-a-Service (SaaS) aids hackers in crypto-jacks ????
???? Albanian parliament, telecom struck by smooth cyber-crims ????????
???? Microsoft knocks MSIX app for six to put a stop to malware ????
Cybersecurity researchers have flagged an alarming surge in phishing attacks targeting cryptocurrency wallets, and it's time to dive into the details. ????????
???? Diverse Blockchain Targets
Check Point researchers, Oded Vanunu, Dikla Barda, and Roman Zaikin, reveal that these threats aren't limited to a single blockchain. Ethereum, Binance Smart Chain, Polygon, Avalanche, and nearly 20 other networks are under attack, with a unique wallet-draining technique.
???? Meet the Culprit: Angel Drainer
This notorious phishing group offers a "scam-as-a-service," charging a hefty 20% to 30% of the stolen amount from collaborators. Another player, Inferno Drainer, recently shut down after helping scammers swipe $70 million from over 100,000 victims.
???? Phishing Tactics
Victims are lured through airdrop or phishing scams, tricked into connecting wallets on counterfeit websites spread through malvertising or unsolicited messages. The attackers stealthily gain access to funds, using tactics like mixers or multiple transfers to cover their tracks.
???? Protect Your Crypto
Experts advise using hardware wallets for enhanced security, verifying smart contract legitimacy, and regularly reviewing wallet allowances for signs of suspicious activity.
???? Stay Informed, Stay Secure
Share this crucial alert with your crypto community to ensure everyone stays one step ahead of these evolving threats. ????️????
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The Assembly of the Republic and One Albania, a major telecom player with 1.5 million subscribers, are grappling with cyber attacks, as disclosed by the National Authority for Electronic Certification and Cyber Security (AKCESK).
???? AKCESK highlighted that, despite the attacks, current legislation doesn't classify these infrastructures as critical or important (ouch! ????). One Albania, on December 25, reassured users on Facebook that the security incident had been successfully handled, with no impact on mobile, landline, or IPTV services.
???? The cyber intrusions, traced back to non-Albanian IP addresses, triggered real-time identification efforts by AKCESK. The focus now lies on source tracing, system recovery, and implementing robust security measures.
???? Homeland Justice, an Iranian hacker group, claimed responsibility for the attacks on its Telegram channel. In a concerning twist, they also asserted breaching Air Albania, the national flag carrier.
???? This incident follows destructive cyber attacks on Albanian government services in mid-2022, with Homeland Justice claiming responsibility then too. The U.S. responded by sanctioning Iran's Ministry of Intelligence and Security.
???? AKCESK pledges to fortify cybersecurity strategies amid evolving threats. Stay informed, stay 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)
Microsoft announced the disabling of the ms-appinstaller protocol handler by default, as it became a tool for threat actors to distribute malware.
???? The Microsoft Threat Intelligence team uncovered abuse of the protocol handler, exposing it as an access vector for malware, potentially leading to ransomware distribution. Cybercriminals offer a malware kit for sale, leveraging the MSIX file format and ms-appinstaller protocol handler.
????️ Effective in App Installer version 1.21.3421.0 or higher, the attacks involve signed malicious MSIX packages distributed via Microsoft Teams or deceptive ads for popular software on search engines.
???? At least four hacking groups have exploited this, using the App Installer service as an entry point for ransomware activities. Microsoft describes Storm-1113 as an "as-a-service" entity providing malicious installers to other threat actors.
???? Notably, this isn't the first time Microsoft disabled the ms-appinstaller protocol handler. In February 2022, a similar step was taken to prevent the delivery of threats like Emotet and TrickBot.
???? Stay informed, stay secure! Share this update to ensure everyone is vigilant against evolving cyber threats. ????️????
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So long and thanks for reading all the phish!
