IT Security Newsletter

IT Security Newsletter - 2/4/2022

Written by Cadre | Fri, Feb 4, 2022

Swissport ransomware attack delays flights, disrupts operations

Aviation services company Swissport International has disclosed a ransomware attack that has impacted its IT infrastructure and services, causing flights to suffer delays. The Swiss company provides services for cargo handling, security, maintenance, cleaning, and lounge hospitality for 310 airports in 50 countries. It handles 282 million passengers and 4.8 million tons of cargo every year, making it a a vital link in the global aviation travel industry chain. READ MORE...

Media Giant News Corp Targeted in China-Linked Cyberattack

Global multimedia giant News Corp on Friday revealed it fell victim to a targeted cyberattack that appears to have been conducted by a "foreign government." News Corp documented the breach in an SEC filing that pinned the blame for the attack on cyberspies in China. With the help of incident responders at Mandiant, the company said it sniffed out "persistent cyberattack activity" during an investigation that started in January this year. READ MORE...

Russia-linked Gamaredon shows signs of possible recent activity in Ukraine, researchers say

A series of cyberattacks on Ukrainian institutions over the past few weeks - including website defacement, computer-wiping malware and phishing campaigns - have the hallmarks of hacking activity associated with the Russian government, but conclusive attribution remains elusive. Research published Thursday, however, shows how a known Russia-linked hacking group, Gamaredon, could be involved in active targeting of Ukrainian targets. READ MORE...

Attackers Target Intuit Users by Threatening to Cancel Tax Accounts

Just in time for tax season, Intuit is warning customers of a phishing campaign that threatens to close user accounts if they don't click on a malicious link. The attacks on the accounting-software specialist that many people use for filing U.S. income tax forms comes as phishers overall are ramping up more creative and stealthy ways to trick users into installing malware or giving up personal data. READ MORE...

BlackCat ransomware - what you need to know

BlackCat (also known as ALPHV) is a relatively new ransomware-as-a-service (RaaS) operation, which has been aggressively recruiting affiliates from other ransomware groups and targeting organisations worldwide. Like other ransomware groups, BlackCat extorts money from targeted organisations by stealing sensitive data (and threatening to release it publicly), and encrypting systems. But BlackCat goes one stage further and also threatens to launch a distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attack. READ MORE...

A worrying Etsy listing reveals the stalking potential of Apple's AirTags

In April of 2021, Apple introduced AirTags to the world, making the small tracking devices-similar to a Tile- available for purchase at the end of that month. The circular, coin-like product is designed to be attached to or placed in objects that are commonly lost, such as keychains, wallets, purses, backpacks, etc. You can track an AirTag with your iPhone in some powerful ways, enabling you to locate a set of keys that has fallen down between the cushions of a couch, for example. READ MORE...

Zimbra zero-day vulnerability actively exploited to steal emails

A cross-site scripting (XSS) Zimbra security vulnerability is actively exploited in attacks targeting European media and government organizations. Zimbra is an email and collaboration platform that also includes instant messaging, contacts, video conferencing, file sharing, and cloud storage capabilities. According to Zimbra, more than 200,000 businesses from over 140 countries are using its software, including over 1,000 government and financial organizations. READ MORE...

  • ...in 1789, George Washington is unanimously elected the first president of the United States by the U.S. Electoral College.
  • ...in 1818, businessman Joshua Abraham Norton, who later proclaimed himself as "Norton I, Emperor of the United States" while living in San Francisco, is born in Kent, England.
  • ...in 1940, filmmaker George A. Romero, who directed the original 1968 "Night of the Living Dead" as well as other horror classics, is born in New York City.
  • ...in 1948, musician Vincent Furnier, AKA '70s rock icon Alice Cooper ("School's Out", "I'm Eighteen"), is born in Detroit, MI.