Category: Heimdal Security Blog

AmerisourceBergen Healthcare Company Has Been Breached

The healthcare company AmerisourceBergen confirmed a data breach in the IT system of one of its subsidiaries. The announcement comes after the Lorenz ransomware posted what the threat actor claims to be exfiltrated data from the pharmaceutical distributor. AmerisourceBergen has…

Mirai-based Medusa Botnet Is Back with Ransomware Capabilities

A new variant of the Mirai-based Medusa DDoS (distributed denial of service) botnet has been discovered in the wild, equipped with a ransomware module and a Telnet brute-forcer. The Medusa malware (not to be confused with the Android malware with the…

What Are Industrial Control Systems?

An industrial control system (or ICS) is a type of computer system that monitors and controls industrial processes and infrastructure. ICSs are used in a variety of industries, including oil and gas, chemical, water and wastewater, energy, food and beverage,…

PixPirate Malware Is Actively Stealing Banking Passwords

Pix is an instant payment platform developed and managed by the Central Bank of Brazil (BCB), which enables quick payment and transfer execution, with over 100 million registered accounts worldwide. A new strain of mobile malware targeting Brazil and other…

Iranian Threat Group Behind Charlie Hebdo Data Breach

The „Holy Souls” or NEPTUNIUM threat group is considered responsible for the recent attack on the satirical French magazine Charlie Hebdo. The group is known to be backed up by the Iranian state and was previously sanctioned by the U.S.…

What Is Container Security? Definition, Benefits, and Risks

Container security is a vital factor for all companies that use containers for running their software, as an alternative to using virtual machines (VMs). Container security is a total of policies and tools that are applied to maintain a container…

New HeadCrab Malware Hijacks 1,200 Redis Servers

Since September 2021, over a thousand vulnerable Redis servers online have been infected by a stealthy malware dubbed “HeadCrab”, designed to build a botnet that mines Monero cryptocurrency. At least 1,200 servers have been infected by the HeadCrab malware, which…

Pro-Russian Hackers Target European Hospitals

According to the Dutch National Cybersecurity Center (NCSC), several hospitals from European countries supporting Ukraine have been targeted by pro-Russian threat actors, including their own UMCG hospital in Groningen. UMCG Groningen Shutdown The cause behind UMCG’s shutdown seems to be…

What Is Encryption as a Service (EaaS)? A Definitive Guide

Whether your company is subject to stringent cybersecurity regulatory requirements or you want to strengthen your overall security, encryption as a service is an effective way to protect sensitive data at rest and in transit. The thing is, many businesses…

Top 10 SOAR Tools to Enhance Your SecOps Experience

In a previous article, we talked about the core differences (and similarities) between SOAR and XDR. And because no SecOps specialist should be without an adequate toolkit, here are some SOAR tools you can try out to up your security…

What Is Ethical Hacking? An Introduction to the Concept

When you think of ‘hacking’, some things that might come to mind would be bad persons with criminal intent trying to infiltrate our systems and steal our data, or maybe ‘hacking’ scenes from popular movies. Hackers are usually the threat…

Hive Ransomware: A Detailed Analysis

Before we dive in, you might have heard the good news. This past week, on January 26th, to be exact, the FBI successfully shut down the Hive ransomware group and saved victims over a hundred million dollars in ransom payments…

Russian Hacktivists Target US and Dutch Hospitals

Russian hackers have claimed responsibility for a cyberattack that took more than a dozen US hospitals’ websites offline on Monday morning. Killnet, a pro-Russian hacking group infamous for DDoS attacks over the last year, claims to have taken down the…

What Is Data Erasure?

One of the major topics of cybersecurity is sheltering your data against data breaches. And while many Internet users have in place measures to protect their information from hackers’ hands while using them, once they delete the data, they might…

Hackers Abuse Google Ads to Send Antivirus Avoiding Malware

A Google ads malvertising campaign was found using KoiVM virtualization technology to install the Formbook data stealer without being spotted by antiviruses. MalVirt loaders are promoted by threat actors in advertising that appears to be for the Blender 3D program.…

Hackers Stole GitHub Desktop and Atom Code-Signing Certificates

Monday, GitHub announced that unidentified threat actors were able to exfiltrate encrypted code signing certificates for certain versions of the GitHub Desktop for Mac and Atom applications. Therefore, the company is taking the precautionary action of canceling the exposed certificates.…

TSA U.S. ‘No Fly List’ Gets Leaked On Hacking Forum

It was recently discovered that a U.S. No Fly list, containing over 1.5 million records of banned flyers and 250,000 ‘selectees’ has been found published on a hacking forum. According to BleepingComputer, it’s the same TSA No Fly list that…

What Is Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP)?

DHCP, or Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol, is a network protocol that allows devices on a network to be automatically assigned an IP address. DHCP is used extensively in both home and enterprise networks, as it simplifies the process of configuring…

New HeadCrab Malware Hijacks 1,200 Redis Servers

Since September 2021, over a thousand vulnerable Redis servers online have been infected by a stealthy malware dubbed “HeadCrab”, designed to build a botnet that mines Monero cryptocurrency. At least 1,200 servers have been infected by the HeadCrab malware, which…

Pro-Russian Hackers Target European Hospitals

According to the Dutch National Cybersecurity Center (NCSC), several hospitals from European countries supporting Ukraine have been targeted by pro-Russian threat actors, including their own UMCG hospital in Groningen. UMCG Groningen Shutdown The cause behind UMCG’s shutdown seems to be…

What Is Ethical Hacking? An Introduction to the Concept

When you think of ‘hacking’, some things that might come to mind would be bad persons with criminal intent trying to infiltrate our systems and steal our data, or maybe ‘hacking’ scenes from popular movies. Hackers are usually the threat…

Hive Ransomware: A Detailed Analysis

Before we dive in, you might have heard the good news. This past week, on January 26th, to be exact, the FBI successfully shut down the Hive ransomware group and saved victims over a hundred million dollars in ransom payments…

Russian Hacktivists Target US and Dutch Hospitals

Russian hackers have claimed responsibility for a cyberattack that took more than a dozen US hospitals’ websites offline on Monday morning. Killnet, a pro-Russian hacking group infamous for DDoS attacks over the last year, claims to have taken down the…

Hackers Stole GitHub Desktop and Atom Code-Signing Certificates

Monday, GitHub announced that unidentified threat actors were able to exfiltrate encrypted code signing certificates for certain versions of the GitHub Desktop for Mac and Atom applications. Therefore, the company is taking the precautionary action of canceling the exposed certificates.…

TSA U.S. ‘No Fly List’ Gets Leaked On Hacking Forum

It was recently discovered that a U.S. No Fly list, containing over 1.5 million records of banned flyers and 250,000 ‘selectees’ has been found published on a hacking forum. According to BleepingComputer, it’s the same TSA No Fly list that…

What Is Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP)?

DHCP, or Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol, is a network protocol that allows devices on a network to be automatically assigned an IP address. DHCP is used extensively in both home and enterprise networks, as it simplifies the process of configuring…

Identity Reveal: Threat Actor Behind Golden Chicken Malware Service Exposed

Researchers have identified the real-world identity of the threat actor behind Golden Chickens Malware-as-a-Service (MaaS), known as “badbullzvenom.” A 16-month-long investigation by eSentire’s Threat Response Unit revealed multiple instances of the badbullzvenom account being shared between two individuals. The second threat…

Threat Detection and Response (TDR) – An Overview

Threat detection and response (TDR) is an increasingly important approach to security as organizations struggle to keep up with the growing number of cyberattacks. TDR combines several technologies and processes to detect, analyze, and respond to malicious activity on networks,…

What Is Spyware, What It Does, and How to Block It?

We are sure that you already heard of spyware, but are you curious to dive deeper into the consequences and types of this malware infection? This sneaky malicious software may be collecting your data as we speak, with only a…

What Is Kerberos Authentication?

As industry experts continuously predict that cybercrime will only get worse in the following years, we see that the digital world is keen to find and implement new strategies to bolster cybersecurity. Today I am going to talk about one…

Aurora Infostealer Malware Deploys Shapeshifting Tactics

One of the most recent finds exposed the Aurora Stealer malware imitating popular applications to infect as many users as possible. Cyble researchers were able to determine that, in order to target a variety of well-known applications, the threat actors…

How to Choose Between Access Control Models? RBAC vs. ABAC vs. PBAC

As organizations are increasingly dealing with security concerns, there is a need for more sophisticated access control mechanisms to ensure only authorized personnel have access to sensitive information. But what exactly is the difference between Role-Based Access Control (RBAC), Attribute-Based…

What Is the Main Vector of Ransomware Attacks?

Ransomware infiltrates and hinders everything from healthcare organizations to energy distribution pipelines. This is why having an idea of the main vector of ransomware attacks is hugely beneficial, not to say imperative for your organization’s safety. Did you know that…

Riot Games Receives a $10 Million Ransom Demand

Last week, video game developer Riot Games, which is behind popular games such as League of Legends and Valorant had its development environment compromised by threat actors through a social engineering attack. This week, the attackers demanded a $10 million…

Google Sued for Monopolizing the Online Ad Market

Google has been sued by the U.S. Justice Department (DOJ) for exploiting its market dominance in online advertising. Tuesday, 24 January 2023, a lawsuit was filed by the DOJ along with eight states: Virginia, California, Colorado, Connecticut, New Jersey, New…

Your 10-Minute Guide to PKI and How Internet Encryption Works

From securing e-commerce transactions to encrypting data sent via email and verifying software packages, Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) and encryption are essential to secure online communications. But what exactly is PKI, how does it work, and what role does it…

App Spoofing Ad Fraud Affects 11 Million Devices

An “expansive” adware operation that spoofs over 1,700 apps from 120 publishers and affects around 11 million devices has been stopped by researchers. Dubbed VASTFLUX, the malvertising attack injected malicious JavaScript code into digital ad creatives and allowed threat actors…

Ransomware Payouts in Review: Highest Payments, Trends & Stats

Ransomware has come to be a customary instrument in the arsenal of cybercriminals who routinely attack individuals and organizations. Under such circumstances, their victims experience financial damage either by owning up to large ransomware payouts or by bearing the price…

What Is a Brute Force Attack?

Brute force attacks are a persistent security threat that has evolved over the years as technology advances. In this article, we’ll explore what a brute force attack is, its modus operandi and variants, and what prevention strategies you can use…

Major Companies Impacted by Ransomware [2022-2023]

The increasing frequency and size of ransomware attacks are becoming a huge concern for thousands of organizations globally. All over the world, threat actors take advantage of security vulnerabilities and encrypt data belonging to all sorts of organizations: from private…

T-Mobile API Data Breach Affects 37 Million Customers

T-Mobile announced a new data breach after a threat actor used one of its Application Programming Interfaces to steal personal data from 37 million active postpaid and prepaid customer accounts (APIs). 37 Million Accounts Impacted On Thursday, the telecommunication giant…

Ransomware Profits Declined by 40% in 2022

A total of $456.8 million was extorted by ransomware groups from their victims in 2022, down by almost 40% from the previous two years’ record-breaking total of $765 million. Chainalysis, a company that analyzes blockchain data, has found that the…

Russian Hackers Responsible for Attack on Samsung

Pro-Russian hacktivist group Genesis Day claims to have breached Samsung’s internal servers over South Korea’s collaboration with NATO. The attackers posted an ad on a popular hacking forum, claiming they found their way into Samsung’s internal FTP service. Because South Korea…

How Does Ransomware Spread? Here’s What You Need to Know

Wondering how does ransomware spread? We’re not surprised. There is no doubt that cybercriminals are constantly looking for new ways to hold your data hostage.  As a result, ransomware has emerged as one of the most serious cybersecurity threats to businesses in…

What Is DevSecOps: Definition, Benefits, and Best Practices

DevSecOps practices can help you to avoid sinuous workflows when it comes to software development security, earning you more time. Security should not be an afterthought when you are creating your online product, especially if you want to work fast…

BackdoorDiplomacy Is Going after Iranian Government Entities

Between July and late December 2022, BackdoorDiplomacy has been associated with a new wave of attacks targeting Iranian government entities. At least since 2010, the Chinese APT group has conducted cyberespionage campaigns against government and diplomatic entities across North America,…

MailChimp Suffers Data Breach Due to Social Engineering Attack

MailChimp announced it has been victim to a social engineering attack that threat actors successfully performed on the company`s employees and contractors. Hackers managed to obtain employee credentials and gain access to an internal customer support and account administration tool.…

Russian Hackers Attack Ukraine’s News Agency with a Data-wiper

A malware attack targeting the national news agency of Ukraine (Ukrinform) was recently stopped. The Computer Emergency Response Team of Ukraine (CERT-UA) attributed the data-wiper attack to Russian hackers. The Attack Was Not Successful CERT-U experts pinned the malware attack…

Git Patches Two Vulnerabilities With Critical Security Level

In their latest update, Git has patched two new security flaws, both of them with a critical level of security. If left unpatched, the vulnerabilities could allow attackers to execute arbitrary code after successfully exploiting heap-based buffer overflow weaknesses. Git…

Data Leaks: How An HR Platform Left Employees’ Private Data Exposed

On December 12, 2022, cybersecurity experts discovered a publicly accessible database containing 260GB of sensitive personal data from myrocket. co, which provides end-to-end recruitment solutions and HR services to Indian businesses. Nearly 200,000 employees and almost nine million job seekers…

CISA Warns of Critical Vulnerabilities on Industrial Control Systems

Sewio, InHand Networks, SAUTER Controls, and Siemens Industrial Control Systems (ICS) are vulnerable to cyberattacks, according to the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA). The advisories released on January 12th contain information on vulnerabilities, exploits, and other security flaws…

Heimdal Cyber-Security & Threat Intelligence Report 2023

Marked by significant geopolitical shifts and unrest, 2022 has galvanized the cybersecurity landscape as well; war-profiteering fueled by endless media disputes has allowed the threat actors not only to operate unhindered but also to find safe harbor with states that…

CIA’s Hive Attack Kit Has Been Pirated by Hackers

A version of the Hive cyberattack kit created by the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) was spotted in the wild. The pirated malicious code acts as spyware, secretly exfiltrating data from victims. The variant was nicknamed xdr33 after its digital certification…