This week, cybersecurity news was thrust into the fray, with clashes between scammers and vigilante hackers, between conspiracy theorists and cell-phone towers, and between REvil and a number of high-profile celebrities.

SonicWall Spotlight

DeskFlix: SonicWall channel director on COVID-19 cybersecurity challenges — CRN UK

• Mike Awford discusses the ways SonicWall has supported partners through the migration to remote working.

EasyJet Hack: Passenger Data Could be Sold on Dark Web After Major Cyber Attack, Experts Warn — The Independent

• Based on similar attacks in the past, SonicWall’s VP EMEA Terry Greer-King discusses what could happen to customers’ data once it hits the Dark Web.

SonicWall Capture Labs Threat Research Teams Uncovers New Variant of Raccoon Stealer — CXO Today

• SonicWall has reported a new variant of Raccoon stealer malware, version 1.5, which has been used in a malicious COVID-19 campaign.

Cybersecurity News

ShinyHunters Is a Hacking Group on a Data Breach Spree — Wired

• In May, ShinyHunters began selling 200 million stolen records from over a dozen companies … and they claim this is just Stage 1.

Beware of phishing emails urging for a LogMeIn security update — Help-Net Security

• The email appears to be legitimate correspondence from LogMeIn, including company logo, spoofed sender identity and a link that appears legitimate.

Vigilante hackers target scammers with ransomware, DDoS attacks — Bleeping Computer

• A hacker has been taking justice into their own hands by targeting “scam” companies with ransomware and denial of service attacks.

Tech Chiefs Press Cloud Suppliers for Consistency on Security Data — The Wall Street Journal

• Each cloud company offers its own process on cybersecurity and governance, creating added work for customers.

Cell-tower attacks by idiots who claim 5G spreads COVID-19 reportedly hit US — Ars Technica

• Wireless telecom providers are being warned to boost security as 5G conspiracy theorists ramp up attacks on cell towers and telecommunications workers.

Microsoft warns of ‘massive’ phishing attack pushing legit RAT — Bleeping Computer

• Microsoft is warning of an ongoing COVID-19 themed phishing campaign that spreads via malicious Excel attachments.

Supercomputers hacked across Europe to mine cryptocurrency — ZDNet

• Multiple supercomputers across Europe have been shut down to investigate cryptocurrency mining malware infections.

Microsoft opens up coronavirus threat data to the public — Cyberscoop

• Microsoft has announced plans to make threat intelligence it collected on COVID-19-related hacking campaigns public.

NetWalker adjusts ransomware operation to only target enterprise — Bleeping Computer

• NetWalker ransomware group is moving away from phishing for malware distribution and has adopted a network-intrusion model focusing on huge businesses only.

REvil Ransomware found buyer for Trump data, now targeting Madonna — Bleeping Computer

• After breaching a prominent law firm, the REvil ransomware group is holding the personal information of high-profile celebrities for ransom.

In Case You Missed It

• Why Securing Remote Work is Crucial To Ensuring Business Continuity — Agasthiamani Sankaran
• Securing Telecommuters with Expanded Endpoint Visibility and Control — Suroop Chandran
• ‘Boundless Cybersecurity’ Protects Organizations Mobilizing for the New Business Normal — Geoff Blaine
• The New Front in Hospitals’ Battle Against COVID-19: Ransomware — Amber Wolff
• SonicWall Unveils Partner Program Designed for MSSPs — Lindsey Lockheart

This week, healthcare continues to be in the crosshairs and ransomware-for-hire continues to mean big paydays for cybercriminals.

SonicWall Spotlight

Hackers Are Calling In The Raccoons — Fudzilla

• Hackers are exploiting anxiety around Covid-19 to create new hooks for their malware, such as the new Raccoon Stealer variant uncovered by SonicWall’s Threat Research team

SonicWall Called Upon by Health Giant GNC to Rapidly Provide Protection of Remote, Mobile Workforce — CXOToday

• SonicWall and GNC Holdings (GNC), a leading global health and wellness brand, are working closely to increase capacity of the company’s existing Secure Mobile Access (SMA) deployment to connect and secure the company’s growing volume of work-from-home employees.

Web-applications Attacks, Including SQL Injection Attacks, More Than Doubled In 2019, According To Data From Sonicwall — Security Boulevard

• What is an SQL injection attack? How common are they? And why are they so devastating? Security Boulevard weighs in on these nefarious attacks, and gives tips on how to prevent them.

Cybersecurity News

It Has Been 20 Years Since Cybercrime Woke Up To Social Engineering With An Intriguing Little Email Titled ‘ILOVEYOU’ — The Register

• Two decades have passed since cybercrooks demonstrated the role exploiting human psychology could play in spreading malware.

10 Questions With Tech Data Security Guru Alex Ryals On Security Trends And Training In Isolation — CRN

• Learning about cybersecurity has never been more important — but with an abundance of styles and modules to choose from, it’s also never been easier.

Cyber-spies seek coronavirus vaccine secrets — BBC

• The U.S. has seen foreign spy agencies carry out reconnaissance of research into a coronavirus vaccine, a senior U.S. intelligence official told the BBC — and similar reports have come from the UK as well.

Healthcare Targeted By More Attacks But Less Sophistication — Dark Reading

• An increase in attacks targeting healthcare organizations suggests that perhaps new cybercriminals are getting into the game.

Sodinokibi, Ryuk ransomware drive up average ransom to $111,000 — Bleeping Computer

• The first quarter of the year saw a 33% increase of the average amount ransomware operators demand from their victims compared to the previous quarter.

LockBit, the new ransomware for hire: a sad and cautionary tale — Ars Technica

• A ransomware infection involving a recent strain called LockBit ransacked one company’s poorly secured network in a matter of hours, leaving leaders no viable choice other than to pay the ransom.

New Kaiji Botnet Targets IoT, Linux Devices — Threat Post

• The botnet uses SSH brute-force attacks to infect devices and a custom implant written in the Go Language.

Phishing Attacks Against Banks Jump With Pandemic Used as Lure — Bloomberg

• Cyber-attacks trying to trick bank employees into clicking on malicious links jumped in the first quarter, with criminals attempting to take advantage of fear and confusion caused by the coronavirus pandemic, Bloomberg reports.

SilverTerrier BEC scammers target US govt healthcare agencies — Bleeping Computer

• Government healthcare agencies, COVID-19 response organizations, and medical research facilities from across the globe were the targets of Business Email Compromise (BEC) phishing campaigns coordinated by multiple Nigerian BEC actors during the last three months.

In Case You Missed It

• Why Securing Remote Work is Crucial To Ensuring Business Continuity — Agasthiamani Sankaran
• Securing Telecommuters with Expanded Endpoint Visibility and Control — Suroop Chandran
• ‘Boundless Cybersecurity’ Protects Organizations Mobilizing for the New Business Normal — Geoff Blaine
• The New Front in Hospitals’ Battle Against COVID-19: Ransomware — Amber Wolff
• SonicWall Unveils Partner Program Designed for MSSPs — Lindsey Lockheart

This week, hackers continued to capitalize on the COVID-19 pandemic, targeting the healthcare industry, oil companies and remote workers.

SonicWall Spotlight

Czech Cyber Officials Warn Of Serious Threat To Health Care Sector – Cyberscoop

• Cybersecurity authorities in the Czech Republic have warned of an “extensive campaign of cyberattacks” on IT systems and health care facilities. At least one of the malicious files in the Czech advisory is part of a batch of code used in a remote access hacking tool, which SonicWall reported last month.

SonicWall Boundless Cybersecurity Platform for Remote Working – CRN

• SonicWall’s new Boundless Cybersecurity model is designed to protect and mobilize large enterprises, small- and medium-sized businesses, and government agencies from the risks of a remote workforce.

2,000 Coronavirus Scammers Taken Offline in NCSC Phishing Crackdown – Experts Reaction –  Information Security Buzz

• The UK’s National Cyber Security Centre, along with the City of London Police and several other government agencies, has launched a ‘Suspicious email reporting service’ for members of the public to alert the authorities to potential cyber-attacks.

Cybersecurity News

Hacking against corporations surges as workers take computers home – Reuters

• Hackers are targeting remote workers, particularly in highly impacted areas where users’ confusion and anxiety makes them more susceptible to phishing.

FBI enlists internet domain registries in fight against coronavirus scams – Cyberscoop

• Ongoing cooperation between the government and technology companies has resulted in the removal of hundreds of fraudulent websites that included “coronavirus,” “covid19” and related phrases in their names.

Creative Skype phishing campaign uses Google’s .app gTLD – Bleeping Computer

• Attackers have deployed a phishing campaign against remote workers using Skype, luring them with emails that mimic notifications from the service.

Hackers Target Top Officials at World Health Organization – Bloomberg

• The WHO’s security team has been the target of an increasing number of attempted cyber-attacks since mid-March. According to officials, WHO itself has not been hacked, but employee passwords have leaked through other websites.

Hackers Target Oil Companies as Prices Plunge – Wired

• Espionage hackers have commenced a sophisticated spear-phishing campaign concentrated on U.S.-based energy companies. The goal: install a notorious trojan to siphon their most sensitive communications and data.

Virtual army rising up to protect healthcare groups from hackers – The Hill

• A new network of white hat hackers—made up of more than 1,400 volunteers in 76 countries, from sectors including information security, telecommunications and law enforcement—has banded together under the name COVID-19 CTI League to help protect the healthcare industry. 
  

Apple iPhone May Be Vulnerable to Email Hack – The Wall Street Journal

• Sophisticated hackers may be attacking Apple iPhones by exploiting a previously unknown flaw in the smartphone’s email software.

Customer complaint phishing pushes network hacking malware – Bleeping Computer

• A new phishing campaign is targeting remote employees, using fake customer complaints to install a backdoor that will compromise the corporate network.

Hackers Can Exfiltrate Data From Air-Gapped Computers Via Fan Vibrations – Security Week

• With the use of new malware and a smartphone, researcher Mordechai Guri was able to exfiltrate data from air-gapped computers using vibrations from the machines’ internal fans.

In Case You Missed It

• Securing Telecommuters with Expanded Endpoint Visibility and Control – Suroop Chandran
• ‘Boundless Cybersecurity’ Protects Organizations Mobilizing for the New Business Normal – Geoff Blaine
• The New Front in Hospitals’ Battle Against COVID-19: Ransomware – Amber Wolff
• SonicWall Unveils Partner Program Designed for MSSPs – Lindsey Lockheart
• Securing SaaS: Protect More, Manage Less – Vishnu Chandra Pandey

This week, SonicWall updates its MSSP program, the World Health Organization fends off phishing attempts, and hackers have a crisis of conscience… maybe.

SonicWall Spotlight

New SonicWall MSSP Program Boosts Pricing Options, Tech Support – CRN

• SonicWall’s MSSP program has evolved from requiring customers to commit to an annual license from the get-go to offering both monthly and annual pricing options.

Addressing Cybersecurity Threats – Trending Business Insights

• SonicWall’s VP of EMEA Sales, Terry Greer-King, talks about cybersecurity trends and SonicWall operations in the Middle East.

SonicWall Updates Its SecureFirst MSSP Program – Enterprise Times

• Terry Greer-King, SonicWall VP of EMEA Sales, and Luca Taglioretti, SonicWall VP of Global MSSP & Carrier Sales, discuss spike licensing, the role training plays in the updated MSSP program, and more.

Cybersecurity News

Microsoft Exchange: 355,000 Servers Lack Critical Patch – Bank Info Security

• Less than 20 percent of vulnerable Microsoft Exchange servers have received a fix for a serious flaw that Microsoft first disclosed nearly two months ago, potentially leaving them open for a remote attacker “to turn any stolen Exchange user account into a complete system compromise.”

Hackers struggle morally and economically over coronavirus – Bleeping Computer

• With the coronavirus pandemic in full swing, threat actors are torn about how they should operate during the pandemic—and like everyone else, are also seeing a downturn in the marketplace.

‘Coronavirus’ malware can wreck your PC: What to do – Tom’s Guide

• SonicWall has discovered a ‘coronavirus’ malware that aims to disable computers amid the COVID-19 crisis—but it turns out there’s an easy fix.

Is Remote Working A Threat To Your Business? – Disruption Hub

• The rapid spread of the coronavirus and the sudden implementation of lockdown measures gave companies little time to prepare secure working from home strategies—and little time to educate employees on the potential security pitfalls of remote work.

Exclusive: Hackers linked to Iran target WHO staff emails during coronavirus – sources – Reuters

• Hackers working in the interests of the Iranian government have attempted to break into the personal email accounts of staff at the World Health Organization during the coronavirus outbreak, four people with knowledge of the matter told Reuters.

A researcher found zero-days in one city’s software. Then he realized the problem could be bigger. – Cyberscoop

• “He unpacked the code, sifted through it, and found more than a dozen previously undisclosed vulnerabilities, or zero-days, that a hacker could exploit to manipulate data or dump user passwords. But it was more than just a catalog of bugs: Poring over the code, Rhoads-Herrera found the names of two other city governments that have used the software.”

DarkHotel hackers use VPN zero-day to breach Chinese government agencies – ZDNet

• More than 200 VPN servers have been hacked in this campaign, 174 of which were located on the networks of government agencies in Beijing and Shanghai, and the networks of Chinese diplomatic missions operating abroad in several countries.

Phishing emails impersonate the White House and VP Mike Pence – Bleeping Computer

• Phishing scammers have begun impersonating President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence in emails that distribute malware or perform extortion scams.

In Case You Missed It

• The New Front in Hospitals’ Battle Against COVID-19: Ransomware – Amber Wolff
• SonicWall Unveils Partner Program Designed for MSSPs – Lindsey Lockheart
• Securing SaaS: Protect More, Manage Less – Vishnu Chandra Pandey
• How to Simplify Endpoint Security – Vishnu Chandra Pandey

This week, cybersecurity experts band together to tackle coronavirus-related cyberthreats, SonicWall traces scareware, and healthcare systems weather cyberattacks.

SonicWall Spotlight

How to Stay Cyber-Secure While Working From Home – Raconteur

• Picking up on a recent SonicAlert about scareware Raconteur talks to SonicWall’s Terry Greer-King about the rise in Coronavirus-related malware as more and more people work from home.

Podcast #113 – Uber Knowledge

• Brook Chelmo, Senior Product & Marketing Manager at SonicWall, talks to Uber Knowledge about his recent Webinar – Mindhunter: My Two-Week Conversation with a Ransomware Cell, demythologizing and explaining exactly what it is like to talk with a real-life ransomware group.

Elite Hackers Target WHO As Coronavirus Cyberattacks Spike – Information Security Buzz

• With hackers reported to have tried to break into the World Health Organization earlier this month, SonicWall’s Terry Greer-King talks to Information Security Buzz about the ever-changing cyber threat landscape, explaining that real-time defense mechanisms are needed to deal with attacks that can also change in real-time.

Cybersecurity News

Coronavirus Hackers Face the Wrath of the Cybersecurity Community – Verdict

• As COVID-19 continues to spread around the planet, cybersecurity professionals have started a grassroots fight against cybercriminals taking advantage. A group of over 600 expert volunteers is working to map and takedown the attack infrastructure, handing over to law enforcement anyone they can specifically identify.

Malware Disguised as Google Updates Pushed via Hacked News Sites – Bleepin Computer

• Hacked corporate sites and news blogs running using the WordPress CMS are redirecting people who visit the websites to a fake Google-update phishing page that eventually installs malware on their computers.

Senator Sounds Alarm on Cyber Threats to Internet Connectivity During Coronavirus Crisis – The Hill

• Senator Mark Warner, vice chairman on the Senate Intelligence Committee, is asking companies like Google to ensure that the cybersecurity on their products are absolutely of the highest possible standard, emphasizing that “it is… imperative that consumer Internet infrastructure not be used as attack vectors to consumer systems and workplace networks accessed from home.”

Hacker Selling Data of 538 Million Weibo Users – ZDNet

• The personal details of more than 538 million users of Chinese social network Weibo have been put up for sale on the dark web. Personal details include real names, site usernames, gender, location, and some phone numbers, but not passwords.

Paris Hospitals Target of Failed Cyber-Attack, Authority Says – Bloomberg

• The Paris hospital authority, AP-HP, was the target of a thwarted cyberattack on March 22, according to France’s cybersecurity agency.

Singapore Most Exposed, but Also Most Prepared in Cybersecurity: Deloitte – ZDNet

• A new study by Deloitte has found that Singapore, with its high internet adoption rate, is the modern city that is both the most exposed to cyber threats and also most prepared to deal with them.

In Case You Missed It

• How to Simplify Endpoint Security – Vishnu Chandra Pandey
• How to Protect Your Business During a Global Health Crisis – Agasthiamani Sankaran
• Strength in Numbers: SonicWall Named New Member of Cyber Threat Alliance – Lindsey Lockhart
• SonicWall Wins Best UTM Security Solution at SC Awards 2020 – Geoff Blaine
• Catapult the Wi-Fi User Experience: Fast, Secure & Easy to Manage – Srudi Dineshan
• SonicWall Firewall Certified via NetSecOPEN Laboratory Testing, Earns Perfect Security Effectiveness Score Against Private CVE Attacks – Ken Dang