Tag: HelpSystems Blog

VERT Threat Alert: May 2023 Patch Tuesday Analysis – Cloned

Today’s VERT Alert addresses Microsoft’s May 2023 Security Updates, which include a new release notes format. VERT is actively working on coverage for these vulnerabilities and expects to ship ASPL-1055 on Wednesday, May 10th. In-The-Wild & Disclosed CVEs CVE-2023-29336 Up…

How To Combine Cyber Resilience and Cybersecurity for Maximum Cyber Protection

Data breaches and cyberattacks have become worryingly commonplace in today’s digital world, and cybersecurity and cyber resilience are now crucial for every organization, small and large. These two strategies work together to protect data at different stages of a cyberattack.…

Supply Chain Compromise: The Risks You Need to Know

This piece was originally published on Fortra’s AlertLogic.com Blog. Thinking about your own network isn’t enough to keep your business safe and profitable. As more buyers, sellers, and partners collaborate ever more closely across the world, supply chain IT risks…

Tripwire Patch Priority Index for April 2023

Tripwire’s April 2023 Patch Priority Index (PPI) brings together important vulnerabilities for Microsoft and Adobe. First on the patch priority list this month are patches for Microsoft Edge. These patches resolve over 15 vulnerabilities such as spoofing, type confusion, and…

Patch now! The Mirai IoT botnet is exploiting TP-Link routers

Businesses should patch their TP-Link routers as soon as possible, after the revelation that a legendary IoT botnet is targeting them for recruitment. The notorious Mirai botnet, which hijacks control of vulnerable IoT devices, is now exploiting TP-Link Archer AX21…

3 Tips to Strengthen AWS Container Security

This piece was originally published on Fortra’s AlertLogic.com Blog. If you’re building an application, you want to ensure it’s reliable, consistent, and rapidly deployable in any cloud environment. That’s what containers are used for — packaging instructions into a digital…

Cybersecurity in the Cloud: The Challenging Hurdles It Has To Overcome

Cloud Security Challenges Organizations embracing cloud environments must understand that cloud applications and services have become popular targets for cybercriminals. A few notable and inherent risks with cloud deployments include: API Vulnerabilities Unfortunately, API exploits are on the rise, costing…

Charming Kitten targets critical infrastructure in US and elsewhere with BellaCiao malware

Iranian state-sponsored hacking group Charming Kitten has been named as the group responsible for a new wave of attacks targeting critical infrastructure in the United States and elsewhere. The group (who are also known to security researchers by a wide…

Despite Soaring Prices, Cybersecurity Insurance Keeps Growing Briskly

Most cybersecurity professionals know that cyber breaches increase each year. So it’s no surprise that the cybersecurity insurance business also keeps growing briskly. According to data from Markets and Markets and Polaris Market Research, the cyber insurance market swelled to…

What is a WAF? (Web Application Firewall)

This piece was originally published on Fortra’s AlertLogic.com Blog. A Comprehensive Guide to Understanding WAFs: How it Works, Types, and Security Models Web applications drive digital transformation, remote work, employee productivity, and consumer interactions. The ability to connect to critical…

Cloud security 101: Understanding and defending your cloud infrastructure

Many organizations have either been formed in, or have migrated to cloud-based environments due to the efficiency, flexibility, mobility, cost savings, and other benefits. The majority of applications that are used today are incorporated with the cloud. Most of our…

The K-12 Report: A Cybersecurity Assessment of the 2021-2022 School Year

The K-12 Report breaks down the cyber risks faced by public schools across the country and is sponsored by the CIS (Center for Internet Security) and the MS-ISAC (Multi-State Information Sharing & Analysis Center). Published “to prepare K-12 leaders with…

US charges three men with six million dollar business email compromise plot

Three Nigerian nationals face charges in a US federal court related to a business email compromise (BEC) scam that is said to have stolen more than US $6 million from victims. 29-year-old Kosi Goodness Simon-Ebo was extradited from Canada to…

FTC accuses payments firm of knowingly assisting tech support scammers

Multinational payment processing firm Nexway has been rapped across the knuckles by the US authorities, who claim that the firm knowingly processed fraudulent credit card payments on behalf of tech support scammers. A Federal Trade Commission (FTC) complaint argues that…

EPA Has ‘New Rules’ for Protecting Public Drinking Water

The EPA isn’t mincing words when it comes to protecting public drinking water. Earlier this month they released a memorandum putting specifics into the general advice to maintain cybersecurity at public water systems (PWSs). Per the report, “[The] EPA clarifies…

A Day in the Life of a SOC Team

This piece was originally published on Fortra’s AlertLogic.com Blog. Managed detection and response (MDR) would be nothing without a SOC (security operations center). They’re on the frontline of our clients’ defenses — a living, breathing layer of intelligence and protection…

Cybersecurity in the Energy Sector: Risks and Mitigation Strategies

The demand for cybersecurity in the energy sector is often understated. There is a misconception that very little IT is involved, and much of it does not impact operations. But 97% of surveyed ICS security professionals in the energy, oil,…

What Is Microsegmentation and 5 Compelling Security Use Cases

What Is Microsegmentation? Microsegmentation is a security technique that partitions a network into small, isolated sections to reduce the attack surface and reduce an organizations risk. Each microsegment is typically defined by specific security policies, accessible only to authorized users…

Glamourizing fraudsters hurts victims of fraud, and society

We seem to be fascinated by fraudsters, and recent documentaries prove this. The documentary landscape is populated with many fraud-centered stories, such as The Tinder Swindler, Fyre, The Con, Fake Heiress, The Inventor, and many others. Some have even been…

The U.S. Army Is Revamping Its Cybersecurity Approach

Military cybersecurity operations are shifting to a digital battlefield, where tools and technology work to save lives and increase efficiency. With these advancements comes the increased need for resilient measures to meet the needs of soldiers, leadership, and civilians alike.…

Tripwire’s Vulnerability Exposure Research Team (VERT): What you need to know

Each month, at the State of Security, we publish a range of content provided by VERT. Whether it’s a round-up of all the latest cybersecurity news, our Patch Priority Index that helps guide administrators on what they should be patching…

CISA Publishes Advisory on Improving Network Monitoring and Hardening

CISA released in late February a cybersecurity advisory on the key findings from a recent Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) red team assessment to provide organizations recommendations for improving their cyber posture. According to the Agency, the necessary actions…

VERT Threat Alert: April 2023 Patch Tuesday Analysis

Today’s VERT Alert addresses Microsoft’s April 2023 Security Updates. VERT is actively working on coverage for these vulnerabilities and expects to ship ASPL-1050 on Wednesday, April 12th. In-The-Wild & Disclosed CVEs CVE-2023-28252 A vulnerability in the Common Log File System…

We’re All in this Together: Thoughts on the PwC 2023 Global Digital Trust Insights Report

What do you need to know from PwC’s 2023 Global Digital Trust Insights report? The short answer: Teamwork. If you don’t have a lot of time today, just remember that. Based on the recommendations in this report, if you want…

Securing your Digital Life: MFA, Password Managers and Risk

In security, there are always tensions; the balancing act between security, convenience, and functionality. While these three, often competing interests cause many people to become frustrated, there are some simple steps that can ease the security struggle: Any Multi-Factor Authentication…

Tripwire and Fortra: Helping Secure IT and OT Environments Better than Ever

When I was younger, you could add a second processor to a computer, but it didn’t double the workload it handled. Natural inefficiencies meant that 1+1 was approximately 1.5 or maybe 1.75 times the workload. Today, multiprocessing and multithreading is…

Tripwire Patch Priority Index for March 2023

Tripwire’s March 2023 Patch Priority Index (PPI) brings together important vulnerabilities for Google and Microsoft. First on the patch priority list this month is a patch for Microsoft Office Outlook that resolves a critical elevation of privilege vulnerability (CVE-2023-23397) that…

Distributed Energy Resources and Grid Security

As the United States government, the energy industry, and individual consumers work toward cleaner and more sustainable energy solutions, it is crucial to consider how new and advancing technologies affect, and are affected by, cybersecurity concerns. ­­­­Increasing use of smart…

5 Secure Ways to Avoid Crypto Theft in 2023

The rise in popularity of cryptocurrencies has brought about significant concerns regarding wallet vulnerabilities and digital theft among individuals and businesses transacting in the market. While the meteoric rise in the value of cryptocurrency has attracted legitimate investors, it has…

How to Secure Your Mobile Device: 8 Tips for 2023

The rapidly changing technology and portability of mobile devices have forced people to rely heavily on those products. With their increased functionalities, mobile devices carry out a number of our day-to-day activities, such as surfing the web, booking appointments, setting…

VERT Reads All About It – Cybersecurity News March 27, 2023

The Tripwire Vulnerability Exposure and Research Team (VERT) keeps its finger on the cybersecurity pulse. Check out some of the stories that stood out for us recently: WordPress forced the patching of WooCommerce Plugin The WooCommerce Plugin is subject to…

Europe’s transport sector terrorised by ransomware, data theft, and denial-of-service attacks

A new report from ENISA, the European Union Agency for Cybersecurity, looking at cyberattacks targeting the European transport network over a period of almost two years, has identified that ransomware has become the prominent threat. ENISA’s report, its first ever…

ITIL For Change Management and Continuous Improvement – Powered by Tripwire

During discussions with clients about their approach to managing IT services, many organizations refer to the Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL) practices as a key component of their approach. This is not surprising, as the ITIL framework provides a practical…

VIN Cybersecurity Exploits and How to Address Them in 2023

Cybersecurity is no longer the exclusive domain of computers, servers, and handheld devices. As wireless connectivity grows, it makes many daily activities more convenient, but it also means that cars may be vulnerable to cyberattacks. Connected, Autonomous, Shared and Electric…

5 Key Components of Cybersecurity Hardening

Hardening in Cybersecurity Cybersecurity hardening is a comprehensive approach to keeping your organization safe from intruders, and mitigating risk. By reducing your attack surface, vulnerability is reduced in tandem. Hardening (or system hardening) considers all flaws and entry points potentially…

Key Findings: UK Cybersecurity Breaches Survey 2022

The cybersecurity landscape is continuously evolving. It has led businesses to question how they are protecting themselves and their consumers from data breaches. Since 2014, the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) has commissioned the Cybersecurity Breaches Survey…

Ransomware Risk Management: A Cybersecurity Framework Profile

How big is Ransomware? The San Francisco 49ers, confirmed a ransomware attack, Cisco was attacked by the Yanluowang ransomware gang, and Entrust was attacked by Lockbit. And that’s just a handful of ransomware accounts noted in 2022. On the surface,…

A Look at The 2023 Global Automotive Cybersecurity Report

From its inception, the automotive industry has been shaped by innovation and disruption. In recent years, these transformations have taken shape in rapid digitization, ever-growing Electric Vehicle (EV) infrastructure, and advanced connectivity. These shifts have redirected the automotive industry, meeting…

What is CSAF (Common Security Advisory Framework)?

The world of security advisories is disjointed, with disparate systems holding critical documentation in various formats. To make matters more challenging, despite living in a digital-first era, most of these documents are not legible for machines and must be parsed,…

VERT Threat Alert: March 2023 Patch Tuesday Analysis

Today’s VERT Alert addresses Microsoft’s March 2023 Security Updates. VERT is actively working on coverage for these vulnerabilities and expects to ship ASPL-1046 on Wednesday, March 15th. In-The-Wild & Disclosed CVEs CVE-2023-24880 Up first this month is a publicly disclosed…

The Problem with the U.S. Power Grid: It’s too Vulnerable to Attacks

Reliable electricity is essential to the convenience of modern life, and also functions as a crucial contribution to America’s economy and level of comfort. Yet citizens take it for granted, rarely thinking about it much. The reality, unfortunately, is that…

TSA tells US aviation industry to boost its cybersecurity

The US Transportation and Security Administration (TSA) has issued new requirements for airport and aircraft operators who, they say, are facing a “persistent cybersecurity threat.” The agency’s new directive compels the aviation industry to improve their defences against malicious hackers…

What to Know About Business Email Compromise (BEC) Scams

Business email compromise (BEC) is a dangerous type of email spoofing that targets businesses, aiming to damage them in some way. Overall, BEC “is one of the most financially damaging online crimes,” according to a joint Cybersecurity Advisory by the…

Tripwire Patch Priority Index for February 2023

Tripwire’s February 2023 Patch Priority Index (PPI) brings together important vulnerabilities for Microsoft. First on the patch priority list this month is a patch for Microsoft Defender for Endpoint that resolves a security feature bypass vulnerability. Next are patches for…

Trezor crypto wallets under attack in SMS phishing campaign

Willie Sutton, the criminal who became legendary for stealing from banks during a forty year career, was once asked, “Why do you keep robbing banks?” His answer? “Because that’s where the money is.” However, today there’s a better target for…

Operational Security: 8 best practices to create a comprehensive OPSEC program

Security threat actors are becoming smarter, and their attacks more devious. Staying ahead of cybercriminals and vulnerabilities is the only way to defeat the attackers at their own game. If you want to protect your organization from cyber threats, then…

Deepfakes: What they are and tips to spot them

Deepfakes are forged images, audio, and videos that are created using Artificial Intelligence (AI), and Machine Learning technologies. According to the World Economic Forum (WEF), deepfake videos are increasing at an annual rate of 900%, and recent technological advances have…

9 Ways Cyber Attackers are Looking to Exploit Government Agencies in 2023

Governments play a key role in the continued operation of society. While getting a speeding ticket or paying taxes may not be anyone’s favorite thing to do, they contribute to the government’s ability to protect its citizens while maintaining its…

The 10 Most Common Website Security Attacks (and How to Protect Yourself)

They’re far from old news: despite the hype about “increasingly sophisticated, automated attacks,” these 10 tried-and-true website security attacks are still top of the list for career malicious hackers. No one likes to work harder than they have to, and…

What Is Kubernetes Observability and Why It’s Critical for Securing Your Clusters

What Is Kubernetes Observability? Kubernetes observability refers to the ability to monitor and diagnose the performance and behavior of a Kubernetes cluster and its applications. This includes monitoring resource usage, tracking the status of pods and deployments, and identifying and…

Public or Private Cloud: Choices to Consider

Organizations are progressively moving towards a predominantly cloud-based computing environment. What this means is that essentially all of their back-end infrastructure, systems, and client-facing applications can be accessed and distributed through the cloud. Modern cloud computing goes a step further…

HardBit ransomware tells corporate victims to share their cyber insurance details

A ransomware outfit is advising its victims to secretly tell them how much insurance they have, so their extortion demands will be met. As security researchers at Varonis describe, a new strain of the HardBit ransomware has taken the unusual…

Cybersecurity Threats in Europe: What You Need to Know and What to Do About Them

As governments and organizations standardize and harmonize their responses to better mitigate the increasing number of cyber-attacks, so do cybercriminals. In Europe, security decision-makers and businesses face similar attack techniques as their global counterparts. While the methodologies employed are identical…

Why Application Dependencies Are Critical for Cloud Security

Application dependencies occur when technology components, applications, and servers depend on each other to provide a business solution or service. Developers have a specific technology stack in mind when building solutions. This can typically include operating systems, database engines, and…

How to achieve and maintain data compliance in 2023

The Compliance Landscape Only those hiding from the news, prospects, and customers can miss the data security and privacy challenges that are occurring. More businesses are relying on data analytics (garnered from data collection) for more and improved service and…

Cybercriminal convicted of $90 million SEC earning reports hack

The owner of a Russian penetration-testing company has been found guilty of being part of an elaborate scheme that netted $90 million after stealing SEC earning reports. For nearly three years, 42-year-old Vladislav Klyushin – the owner of Moscow-based cybersecurity…

Four of the Oldest Tricks in Scammers’ Books

As the world grows increasingly digital and dependent on the internet, cyberthreats are constantly evolving to clash with newer and more rigid security features. Despite cybercriminals’ propensity for finding new and innovative ways to take advantage of their targets, however,…

The Language of Cybersecurity Frameworks, Guidance, Regulations, and Standards

When it comes to acronyms, Technology and Cybersecurity often rival various branches of government. Technology acronyms are usually somewhat bland, amounting to little more than the arcane argot of the profession, such as SOC, SIEM, and DNS. Government, however, rarely…

How to achieve and maintain data compliance in 2023

The Compliance Landscape Only those hiding from the news, prospects, and customers can miss the data security and privacy challenges that are occurring. More businesses are relying on data analytics (garnered from data collection) for more and improved service and…

VERT Threat Alert: February 2023 Patch Tuesday Analysis

Today’s VERT Alert addresses Microsoft’s February 2023 Security Updates. VERT is actively working on coverage for these vulnerabilities and expects to ship ASPL-1042 on Wednesday, February 15th. In-The-Wild & Disclosed CVEs CVE-2023-21823 The first vulnerability in the list this week…

Cybersecurity Is Necessary for Mission-Critical Energy Grids

Today’s energy sector is undergoing massive change, especially as more utilities try to usher in clean or renewable energy alternatives like solar, geothermal, hydroelectric, and wind power. In addition to the clean energy transition, grid modernization is another major shift…

How to protect organizations against Brute Force Attacks

A brute force attack is an attempt to reveal passwords and login credentials in order to gain access to network resources. These attacks are mainly done with the purpose of gaining unauthorized, and undetected access to compromise systems. Threat actors…

The Role of Data Hygiene in the Security of the Energy Industry

We create massive amounts of data daily, from the exercise stats compiled by our wearable devices to smart meters used at our homes to reduce expense consumption to maintenance statistics of critical systems in industrial settings. If data creation continues…

The Role of Data Hygiene in the Security of the Energy Industry

We create massive amounts of data daily, from the exercise stats compiled by our wearable devices to smart meters used at our homes to reduce expense consumption to maintenance statistics of critical systems in industrial settings. If data creation continues…