Cybersecurity Update March 13th 2023: Hackers, Fraudsters and Scammers Rampant

The world of cybersecurity is constantly changing, with new threats emerging and cybercriminals finding new ways to exploit vulnerabilities. As we approach mid-March 2023, a plethora of new developments in the cybersecurity space have emerged, from the arrest of a suspected administrator of a remote access trojan to investment frauds costing billions. In this article, we’ll take a closer look at some of the key updates in the cybersecurity world, highlighting the importance of staying vigilant and informed.

NetWire RAT Administrator Arrested

The FBI announced this week that they had arrested the suspected administrator of NetWire, a remote access trojan capable of stealing passwords and keylogging. The investigation began in 2020, and authorities were able to create custom NetWire instances using the builder tool. NetWire RAT has been used in numerous cyberattacks in recent years, highlighting the need for organizations to remain vigilant and implement robust security measures.

Plex Media Server Vulnerability Added to CISA Catalog

The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) recently added a high-severity remote code execution (RCE) vulnerability in the Plex Media Server to its catalog of exploited security flaws. The vulnerability was likely linked to an incident last year involving a LastPass senior DevOps engineer who was hacked to install a keylogger and gain access to customer vault backups. This highlights the need for organizations to keep their systems and software up to date with the latest security patches and updates.

Blackbaud Settles SEC Charges After Ransomware Attack

Cloud software provider Blackbaud paid a $3 million civil penalty to settle misreporting charges brought by the SEC after suffering a ransomware attack in 2020. The attack affected 13,000 customers, and the company initially stated that the attackers hadn’t gained access to donor bank account details or social security numbers, but that wasn’t true. This highlights the importance of transparency and prompt disclosure of cybersecurity incidents, as well as the need for organizations to implement robust security measures to prevent attacks from happening in the first place.

Acronis Customer Data Stolen in Hack

Hackers recently leaked 12 GB of data stolen from Swiss data protection firm Acronis. The company initially said no customer data had been compromised, but it turns out that the threat actors had indeed accessed and stolen sensitive information from a single customer’s account. This highlights the importance of organizations conducting thorough security assessments and monitoring their networks and systems for any signs of unauthorized access or suspicious activity.

Investment Fraud: Pig Butchering Scam

Investment fraud, which includes a scam called Pig Butchering, cost victims about $3 billion in 2022, making it the top cybercrime loss leader. Victims of this scam are often approached via social media and offered the opportunity to invest in pig farming, with the scammers promising high returns. This highlights the need for individuals to exercise caution when approached with investment opportunities, especially if they seem too good to be true.

Cerebral Inadvertently Exposes PHI

Emotional health care provider Cerebral is informing over 3.1 million individuals that their protected health information (PHI) might have been inadvertently exposed via third-party tracking technologies on its platforms. This highlights the need for organizations to thoroughly vet their third-party vendors and ensure that they are implementing robust security measures to protect sensitive data.

TikTok’s Software Development Kits and Data Collection

Gizmodo has revealed that over 28,000 different apps make use of TikTok’s software development kits and send the company various data. This highlights the need for individuals to carefully review the permissions requested by apps they download and be aware of the data that is being collected and transmitted to third parties.

Scammers Target Linkedin

Finally, scammers are taking advantage of the increased number of redundancies in tech positions and targeting LinkedIn users with messages. To avoid falling for this scam, be aware of discrepancies in the websites they provide, question them more, and don’t share information with people you don‘t trust.   That wraps up Mondays update. As always stay vigilant, stay safe and stay tuned for tomorrows updates!