Tech

Actively exploited Mac 0-day neutered core OS security defenses

Enlarge (credit: Getty Images) When Apple released the latest version 11.3 for macOS on Monday, it didn’t just introduce support for new features and optimizations. More importantly, the company fixed a zero-day vulnerability that hackers were actively exploiting to install malware without triggering core Mac security mechanisms, some that were in place for more than […]

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In epic hack, Signal developer turns the tables on forensics firm Cellebrite

Enlarge (credit: Moxie Marlinspike/Signal) For years, Israeli digital forensics firm Cellebrite has helped governments and police around the world break into confiscated mobile phones, mostly by exploiting vulnerabilities that went overlooked by device manufacturers. Now, Moxie Marlinspike—the brainchild behind the Signal messaging app—has turned the tables. On Wednesday, Marlinspike published a post that reported vulnerabilities […]

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Hackers are exploiting a Pulse Secure 0day to breach orgs around the world

Enlarge (credit: CHUYN / Getty Images) Hackers backed by nation-states are exploiting critical vulnerabilities in the Pulse Secure VPN to bypass two-factor authentication protections and gain stealthy access to networks belonging to a raft of organizations in the US Defense industry and elsewhere, researchers said. At least one of the security flaws is a zeroday, […]

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Windows and Linux devices are under attack by a new cryptomining worm

Enlarge (credit: Getty Images) A newly discovered cryptomining worm is stepping up its targeting of Windows and Linux devices with a batch of new exploits and capabilities, a researcher said. Research company Juniper started monitoring what it’s calling the Sysrv botnet in December. One of the botnet’s malware components was a worm that spread from […]

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Ransomware shuts down production at two manufacturing plants

Enlarge (credit: Getty Images) Ransomware operators shut down two production facilities belonging to a European manufacturer after deploying a relatively new strain that encrypted servers that control manufacturer’s industrial processes, a researcher from Kaspersky Lab said on Wednesday. The ransomware known as Cring came to public attention in a January blog post. It takes hold […]

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Feds say hackers are likely exploiting critical Fortinet VPN vulnerabilities

Enlarge (credit: Getty Images) The FBI and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency said that advanced hackers are likely exploiting critical vulnerabilities in the Fortinet FortiOS VPN in an attempt to plant a beachhead to breach medium and large-sized businesses in later attacks. “APT actors may use these vulnerabilities or other common exploitation techniques to […]

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Ransomware operators are piling on already hacked Exchange servers

(credit: Aurich Lawson / Ars Technica) Microsoft Exchange servers compromised in a first round of attacks are getting infected for a second time by a ransomware gang that is trying to profit from a rash of exploits that caught organizations around the world flat-footed. The ransomware—known as Black Kingdom, DEMON, and DemonWare—is demanding $10,000 for […]

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To security pros’ dread, another critical server vulnerability is under exploit

Enlarge (credit: Getty Images) In a development security pros feared, attackers are actively targeting yet another set of critical server vulnerabilities that leave corporations and governments open to serious network intrusions. The vulnerability this time is in BIG-IP, a line of server appliances sold by Seattle-based F5 Networks. Customers use BIG-IP servers to manage traffic […]

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“Expert” hackers used 11 zerodays to infect Windows, iOS, and Android users

Enlarge (credit: Getty Images) A team of advanced hackers exploited no fewer than 11 zeroday vulnerabilities in a nine-month campaign that used compromised websites to infect fully patched devices running Windows, iOS, and Android, a Google researcher said. Using novel exploitation and obfuscation techniques, a mastery of a wide range of vulnerability types, and a […]

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Security unicorn: Exchange server 0-days were exploited by 6 APTs

Enlarge (credit: Getty Images) The Microsoft Exchange vulnerabilities that allow hackers to take over Microsoft Exchange servers are under attack by no fewer than 10 advanced hacking groups, six of which began exploiting them before Microsoft released a patch, researchers reported Wednesday. That raises a vexing mystery: how did so many separate threat actors have […]