What is ShrinkLocker?ShrinkLocker is a family of ransomware that encrypts an organisation's data and demands a ransom payment in order to restore access to their files. It was first identified by security researchers in May 2024, after attacks were observed in Mexico, Indonesia, and Jordan.So far, so normal. What makes it noteworthy?The ShrinkLocker ransomware is unusual because it uses VBScript...

In an era where innovative technologies are emerging left, right, and center, two of the most influential in recent years are experiencing exponential growth. Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) are immersive technologies that have now firmly integrated into numerous industries.As these technologies have become more prevalent in our personal and professional lives, they bring with them...

Networks form a critical core for our modern-day society and businesses. People, processes, and technologies should be in place for monitoring, detecting, logging, and preventing malicious activities that occur when an enterprise experiences an attack within or against their networks.Key Takeaways for Control 13Enterprises should understand that their systems and networks are never perfectly...

Data shows that financial motivation is a huge incentive for threat actors, which explains the rising prevalence of ransomware and other extortion breaches in the corporate world. In 2023 alone, business email compromise (BEC) complaints received by the FBI amounted to over 2.9 billion. SourceThis situation highlights an uncomfortable truth that has...

Today’s VERT Alert addresses Microsoft’s November 2024 Security Updates. VERT is actively working on coverage for these vulnerabilities and expects to ship ASPL-1132 as soon as coverage is completed. In-The-Wild & Disclosed CVEsCVE-2024-43451A vulnerability that allows for NTLMv2 hash disclosure has been both publicly disclosed and actively exploited. According to Microsoft, only minimal...

Scammers have leapt at the opportunity to exploit vulnerable UK residents by sending bogus messages telling them they need to take action to receive help with their winter heating bills. In July, the UK's new Labour Government announced that it was limiting who was eligible for assistance with their winter fuel bills by making eligibility means-tested. The controversial decision appears to have...

When tasked with the IT security of an organization, it can be easy to get bogged down in particulars and definitions and lose heart before you’ve even begun. With a plethora of terms to learn, details to secure, and moving parts to keep track of, building an effective cybersecurity strategy is no simple task. It requires a great deal of effort, planning, and coordination.Security is a crucial...

In today's cybersecurity landscape, controlling access to USB drives is critical, particularly for organizations looking to maintain compliance with regulations like NERC CIP and bolster their security posture. Unauthorized USB usage poses significant risks, from data exfiltration to malware injection. However, restricting USB access entirely isn't always practical. Instead, organizations can...

Understanding the threats we face is crucial to protecting against them. Industry research and reports are invaluable to this understanding, providing insights to inform mitigation efforts.Few cybersecurity reports are as valuable or comprehensive as the annual ENISA Threat Landscape Report (ETL). Now in its 20th year and published by the European Union Agency for Cybersecurity (ENISA), the ETL...

File Integrity Monitoring (FIM) is a key intelligence and audit tool in an advanced security portfolio. While it is a logical component to integrate into your Security Orchestration, Automation, and Response (SOAR) tooling, it’s important to consider your approach to ensure you can gain the most benefits from it.Classify FirstThe sensible starting place for your integration is to consider your FIM...

Users who do not have the appropriate security awareness training are considered a weak link in the security of an enterprise. These untrained users are easier to exploit than finding a flaw or vulnerability in the equipment that an enterprise uses to secure its network. Attackers could convince unsuspecting users to unintentionally provide access to the enterprise network or expose sensitive...

Tripwire's October 2024 Patch Priority Index (PPI) brings together important vulnerabilities for Microsoft.First on the list are patches for Microsoft Edge, Office, Excel, and Visio that resolve remote code execution, elevation of privilege, and spoofing vulnerabilities.Next are patches that affect components of the core Windows operating system. These patches resolve over 80 vulnerabilities,...

Real Estate Fraud is Running Rampant in the USReal estate is an area ripe for fraud and scams: transactions usually involve large sums of money, convoluted paperwork, and messaging back and forth. Criminals can use a wide variety of methods to intercept legitimate communications or launch their own scams in order to deceive their targets.This type of fraud is on the rise right now in the United...

Cybersecurity threats to manufacturing and process plants come from a wide range of attack vectors, including supply chain, logistics, enterprise computing, remote connections, operator stations, programmable logic controllers, distributed control systems (DCSs), smart sensors, and new smart devices. Internet of Things (IoT) technologies offer greater connectivity and endless applications, but...

The industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) is growing rapidly. While that’s good news for businesses in terms of productivity and cost savings, these devices carry unique cybersecurity risks that demand attention. Amid such rising concerns, IIoT threat detection is a must.Why Organizations Need IIoT Threat DetectionIIoT endpoints are inherently risky because of the potential for lateral movement....

As the United States of America enters the final days of the race for the White House, the FBI has warned that fraudsters are using the presidential election campaign to scam citizens out of their savings and personal data.According to a public service announcement published by the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3), scammers who have previously exploited state and local elections are targeting...

The Sarbanes-Oxley Act (SOX) is a United States federal law that aims to enhance corporate transparency and accountability. Signed into law on July 30th, 2002, the Act came in response to a slew of major corporate accounting scandals, including those involving Enron and WorldCom, that came to light in the early 2000s.Its primary aim is to enhance corporate transparency and accountability, ensuring...

Enterprises today rely on partners and vendors to help manage their data. Some companies depend on third-party infrastructure for day-to-day operations, so understanding the regulations and protection standards that a service provider is promising to uphold is very important.Key Takeaways from Control 15Identify your business needs and create a set of standards that can be used to grade service...

In recent years, the security of the United States' critical infrastructure has become a pressing concern, particularly in the oil and gas sector, due to its pivotal role in the nation's economy and energy supply. Recognizing this, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) implements several new directives in July each year aimed at enhancing the security and resilience of vital energy...

You can’t do large-scale business in 2024 without having a successful, well-run IT infrastructure. Arguably, it’s difficult to do any sort of business well (large or small) without tuning your IT capabilities to your business objectives. This allows them to work as one, not against each other.COBIT is a framework created by ISACA (International Systems Audit and Control Association) to do this...