This Week’s Top 5 Cybersecurity News Stories April 2024 | 02

Cybersecurity threats are evolving constantly as threat actors look to gain access to your data and money. To help you stay secure, we have searched the internet for the top five cybersecurity news stories of the week that we think you should be aware of.  No story is too big or small, as we look at threats from espionage to security flaws in every day devices:

1. Beware: GitHub’s Fake Popularity Scam Tricking Developers into Downloading Malware

Cybercriminals are exploiting GitHub’s search features to push malware-laden repositories mimicking popular ones, according to a Checkmarx report. These repositories, enhanced with fake updates and fraudulent stars, download malicious Microsoft Visual Code project files designed to fetch further harmful payloads. This sophisticated scheme also includes modest “star inflation” to appear credible without arousing suspicion, illustrating a disturbing trend in the open-source software community where repository popularity can be manipulated through black market activities. For more about this story click here

 

2. Researchers Uncover First Native Spectre v2 Exploit Against Linux Kernel

Researchers from Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam have disclosed the “first native Spectre v2 exploit” targeting Intel systems on Linux, called Native Branch History Injection (BHI). This exploit, tracked as CVE-2024-2201, allows unauthorized reading of kernel memory at a rate of 3.5 kB/sec by circumventing existing Spectre v2 and BHI mitigations. The flaw exposes a significant risk as it demonstrates the ability to bypass defenses that were previously thought to safeguard Intel systems against such vulnerabilities. This revelation underscores ongoing challenges in securing modern processors from speculative execution attacks. For more about this story click here

 

3. Number of cyberattacks jumps to new record

The first quarter of 2024 saw a sharp rise in cyberattacks, with a 28% increase from the previous quarter and a 5% year-over-year rise. The average weekly attacks per organization reached a record 1,308, with education, research, government, military, and healthcare being the prime targets. According to a Check Point report, this escalation highlights a worrying trend in the rapidly evolving threat landscape. Notably, ransomware continues to surge, significantly impacting North America and the manufacturing industry. The report emphasizes the necessity for businesses to adopt comprehensive cybersecurity measures, including AI-powered defenses. For more about this story click here

 

4. TA547 Phishing Attack Hits German Firms with Rhadamanthys Stealer

TA547, an established cybercriminal group, has launched a sophisticated phishing campaign targeting German organizations with a new malware called Rhadamanthys, marking its debut use by the group. This campaign, themed around fake invoices from the company Metro AG, deploys a PowerShell script believed to be generated by a large language model due to its detailed and specific coding comments. The attack involves a password-protected ZIP file that triggers Rhadamanthys to steal information directly in memory. This shift in tactics by TA547, noted by Proofpoint, reflects the group’s evolving methods in cyberattacks and initial access brokerage for ransomware operations. For more about this story click here

 

5. Zambia uncovers ‘sophisticated’ Chinese cybercrime syndicate

In Zambia, authorities arrested 77 people, including 22 Chinese nationals, in a raid targeting a “sophisticated internet fraud syndicate” operating out of a Chinese-run company suspected of extensive cybercrime. The firm, Golden Top Support Services, located in Lusaka’s upscale Roma suburb, allegedly employed young Zambians under the guise of call-center work to engage in deceptive online communications. Equipment seized included devices to disguise caller locations and over 13,000 SIM cards, highlighting the operation’s broad reach beyond Zambia to countries like Singapore and the UAE. For more about this story click here

Here at DIESEC, we have experts on hand waiting to help you with all of your cybersecurity needs, from ensuring your system is safe and secure to teaching your employees how not to fall victim to social engineering ploys.

For more information please contact us now!