On April 12, 2024, Palo Alto Networks published a security advisory detailing an actively exploited maximum severity vulnerability (CVE-2024-3400, CVSS: 10.0) affecting the GlobalProtect feature of PAN-OS. This vulnerability affects PAN-OS 10.2, PAN-OS 11.0, and PAN-OS 11.1 firewalls when configurations for both GlobalProtect gateway and device telemetry are enabled. An unauthenticated remote threat actor can exploit this vulnerability to execute arbitrary code with root privileges on the firewall.

On April 12th, Palo Alto Networks released a CVE advisory for CVE-2024-3400, a critical vulnerability identified in the GlobalProtect Gateway feature of PAN-OS, the operating system for Palo Alto Networks firewalls. This command injection vulnerability allows unauthenticated attackers to execute arbitrary commands with root privileges on the affected devices.

The FBI has issued an alert warning of a widespread SMS phishing (smishing) campaign targeting people in several US states with phony notices of unpaid tolls, BleepingComputer reports. The scammers are currently impersonating the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission and E-ZPass services on the East Coast, but the FBI warns that the scam will likely expand to other states.

Neobanks, which operate exclusively online without traditional physical branch networks, are facing an increasingly challenging landscape due to a significant rise in fraud cases. In recent years, financial institutions have reported a marked increase in fraudulent activities, with the average cost of fraud for institutions with assets over $5 billion rising by 65% from $2.3 million in 2022 to $3.8 million in 2023.

Cybersecurity teams are under immense pressure in 2024. They need to be more efficient than ever to stay ahead of evolving threats. This means embracing new technologies, strategies, and frameworks. One powerful tool in their arsenal is the threat intelligence lifecycle—a vital but challenging aspect of proactive cyber defense. Forward-thinking enterprises understand the value of a structured approach to threat intelligence.

In today's digital age, cybersecurity has become a constant concern for organizations. A thorough understanding of the cyber threat landscape is needed to address these challenges and protect your company's systems and data, as only then can you implement effective protection measures.

This is Part 7 in my ongoing project to cover 30 cybersecurity topics in 30 weekly blog posts. The full series can be found here. Far too many organizations place Data Loss Prevention (DLP) and Data Protection at the bottom of their priority list due to the perceived difficulty in its deployment. When there are in fact some easy approaches to getting started with protecting your data.

The NIST Artificial Intelligence Risk Management Framework (AI RMF) is a recent framework developed by The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to guide organizations across all sectors in the use of artificial intelligence (AI) and its systems. As AI continues to become implemented in nearly every sector — from healthcare to finance to national defense — it also brings new risks and concerns with it.

Regardless of the industry, the risks associated with data loss are significant. Financial services, healthcare, government, technology, and many other fields – all rely heavily on sensitive data. The Identity Theft Resource Center (ITRC) reports that the number of data compromises in the United States hit a record high of 1,802 in 2022. This emphasizes the alarming increase in data security incidents.

Companies engage with a managed detection and response (MDR) provider to help ensure they detect cyber threats before they do any damage. The "response" part of the MDR moniker is key to that effort, making it vital to determine up front exactly what your chosen provider will do when it detects a threat in your environment.