October 1 marks the start of Cybersecurity Awareness Month and traditionally Trustwave has discussed the general security concepts highlighted by the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), and National Cybersecurity Alliance (NCSA). However, this year Trustwave will take a slightly different approach. In the same vein that one can never have too much cowbell, Trustwave believes there is no such thing as too many security tips.

On September 26, 2024, security researcher Simone Margaritellidisclosed the details of four OpenPrinting Common UNIX Printing System (CUPS) vulnerabilities, that, when chained together, can allow malicious actors to launch remote code execution (RCE) attacks on vulnerable systems. CUPS is a widely used, open-source printing system that supports Linux and other Unix-like operating systems. It also supports ChromeOS and macOS.

The advent and widespread acceptance of Large Language Models (LLMs), such as Microsoft Copilot, by organizations and even average consumers has created another surface threat area that cybersecurity teams must come to understand. To help with this process, Trustwave SpiderLabs conducted a Red Team exercise against a licensed version of Microsoft Copilot.

Earlier this month, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) posted a cybersecurity advisory highlighting the recent cybersecurity risks of third parties impacting its members and financial services organizations. The recently released Trustwave SpiderLabs 2024 Trustwave Risk Radar Report: Financial Services Sector underscores FINRA's concern about the escalating threat landscape facing the financial industry.

HTML smuggling techniques have been around for quite some time. A previous Trustwave SpiderLabs’ blog discussed its use in distributing malware by storing binaries in immutable blob data within JavaScript code that gets decoded on the client-side browser, eventually delivering the payload.

Microsoft Copilot for Security is a powerful new artificial intelligence tool that can help companies home in on credible cybersecurity threats amid an onslaught of noise. However, significant expertise is required to configure and operate it properly and avoid unnecessary costs. These are a few key takeaways from the webinar, "Getting Started with Microsoft Copilot for Security", presented by Dan Gravelle, Director of Global Solutions Architecture at Trustwave.

Phishing-as-a-Service (PaaS) platforms have become the go-to tool for cybercriminals, to launch sophisticated phishing campaigns targeting the general public and businesses, especially in the financial services sector. PaaS operates much like other subscription-based malware models, where cybercriminals offer phishing kits, including spam tools, phishing pages’ templates, bulletproof servers, and victim databases to less-experienced attackers.

Security Colony may not have the name recognition of some of Trustwave’s other security products and services, but when experts discuss and measure Trustwave's strengths, this repository of knowledge is almost inevitably brought up in the conversation. For example, over the last several years, the industry analyst firms IDC, Frost & Sullivan, and ISG have all called out Security Colony as a primary reason why each selected Trustwave for various accolades.

An offensive security program is an excellent component of a mature cybersecurity program, but kicking off that process can be overwhelming for some organizations. After all, offensive security has several components, such as Penetration Testing, Red Team exercises, incorporating threat intelligence, etc., so it can be hard to decide where to start. The answer to this dilemma starts with Managed Vulnerability Scanning (MVS).

ALPHV, also known as BlackCat or Noberus, is a sophisticated ransomware group targeting critical infrastructure and various organizations, including being the most active group used to attack the financial services sector. ALPHV first appeared in November 2021 and operates on a Ransomware-as-a-Service (RaaS) model, allowing affiliates to use its malware for their own attacks in exchange for a cut of the ransom payments.

IT teams are the unsung heroes of today’s fast-paced digital world, tirelessly toiling behind the scenes to keep data safe and systems running smoothly. One tool that’s presented a major shift for many IT departments is the Microsoft Defender Suite. Let’s explore how this powerful suite of tools is transforming IT security and making life easier for IT professionals.

For companies with the Microsoft 365 E3 license, the decision on whether to upgrade to 365 E5 is likely taken into consideration, and security should certainly be included. With E5, companies will likely find security upgrades in three key areas: identity management, endpoints, and cloud. So says David Broggy, Trustwave's Senior Solutions Architect, Implementation Services, and a 2024 recipient of the Microsoft MVP Award, in a recent webinar on transitioning from Microsoft E3 to E5.

Phishing remains the favored and most successful method of obtaining an initial foothold in a targeted organization. So it should come as no surprise that threat actors have developed turnkey solutions that enable even low-skilled hackers to conduct successful email attacks.

Financial services organizations already face a dizzying array of external threats, but just as dangerous and often harder to spot are the threats posed by people inside their firm, according to the Trustwave SpiderLabs' Financial Services Deep Dive: Insider Threat. The report noted that insider threat attacks have become more common over the past year, with 40% of organizations reporting more frequent insider threat attacks compared to previous years.

The 2024 Trustwave Risk Radar Report: Financial Services Sector underscores the escalating threat landscape facing the industry. Deepfakes, highly realistic synthetic media, and the increasing adoption of cryptocurrencies are providing cybercriminals with new avenues to compromise financial institutions. These emerging threats are augmenting the already prevalent ransomware and phishing campaigns, creating a complex and dynamic threat environment.

Around two years ago, memN0ps took the initiative to create one of the first publicly available rootkit proof of concepts (PoCs) in Rust as an experimental project, while learning a new programming language. It still lacks many features, which are relatively easy to add once the concept is understood, but it was developed within a month, at a part-time capacity.

In the ever-evolving field of information security, curiosity and continuous learning drive innovation. This blog series is tailored for those deeply engaged in experimental projects, leveraging Rust's capabilities to push the boundaries of what's possible. The focus on Rust, after exploring various programming languages, has led to the creation of several cutting-edge projects that are highlighted in this report.

The Security of Critical Infrastructure (SOCI) Act in Australia mandates that organizations operating within critical infrastructure sectors implement robust cybersecurity measures to protect against an increasingly diverse and sophisticated range of cyber threats. These sectors, which include energy, water, communications, healthcare, transport, and other essential services, are vital to national security, public safety, and economic stability.

Trustwave has received the Frost & Sullivan Excellence in Best Practices Company of the Year Award in the Americas Managed Security Services (MSS) market, recognizing Trustwave as being at the forefront of innovation and growth in this category.

Trustwave SpiderLabs is prepped to launch its newest threat intelligence research, the 2024 Trustwave Risk Radar Report: Financial Services Sector. The upcoming report, which is set to be released on September 10, promises to be an indispensable resource for cybersecurity professionals. This comprehensive report not only sheds light on the modus operandi of a dominant ransomware gang but also delves into the persistent use of phishing and brute-force attacks to compromise credentials.

The Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) framework is undergoing a significant transformation with the introduction of CMMC 2.0. This revamped approach aims to streamline compliance, reduce costs, and enhance the overall security posture of the defense industrial base (DIB). CMMC is a framework developed by the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) to assess and certify the cybersecurity posture of its contractors and subcontractors.

Today’s blog installment brings us to the end of our 30-week journey that covered 30 cybersecurity topics that I felt would be of interest to a wide variety of security practitioners, such as Security Architects, Security Admins, and Security Auditors. I hope everyone found it as helpful as I found it to write. So, let’s move on with our last topic.