In 2017, we started a blog series talking about how to securely implement a crypto-system in java. How to Get Started Using Java Cryptography Securely touches upon the basics of Java crypto, followed by posts around various crypto primitives Cryptographically Secure Pseudo-Random Number Generator (CSPRNG), Encryption/Decryption, and Message Digests. We also released a Java Crypto Module for easier dockerization of injectable modules exposing Crypto services via an API.
The coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic shifted the cybersecurity landscape. According to a PR Newswire release, the FBI tracked as many as 4,000 digital attack attempts a day during the pandemic. That’s 400% more than what it was prior to the pandemic. In response to these attacks, 70% of CISOs told McKinsey that they believed their security budgets would shrink by the end of 2020 but that they’d be asking for significant increases in 2021.
There’s a growing need for both security and speed in application development. DevSecOps introduces security earlier in the SDLC to ensure secure code. Comparing the speed of software development today to even just a decade ago is a bit like comparing a bullet train to a bicycle. With CI/CD and DevOps now mainstream, it’s faster by orders of magnitude.
Compliance is very important to any organization. Organizations have many standards to choose from including PCI, CIS, NIST and so on. Oftentimes, there are also multiple regulations that are applicable in any country. So, organizations need to commit some time and resources in order to apply security standards and achieve compliance. Even so, organizations encounter challenges when it comes to maintaining their compliance with security controls for their workflows, processes and policies.
Recently, the Securities and Exchange Commission’s exam division issued a Risk Alert (the “Alert”) where it carried out several targeted cybersecurity investigations. The agency is now concerned with how there’s been an increase in a specific type of hack known as “credential stuffing.“ This cyberattack involves using stolen credentials to log into web-based systems and issue the unauthorized transfer of client funds.
A selection of this week’s more interesting vulnerability disclosures and cyber security news. For a daily selection see our twitter feed at #ionCube24. We do our best to avoid falling for a scammer, but the lure of yummy comfort goodies especially with the pandemic’s toll on our lives, may be just the one step too far.
“TroubleGrabber” is a new credential stealer that is being spread through Discord attachments and uses Discord messages to communicate stolen credentials back to the attacker. While it bears some functional similarity to AnarchyGrabber, it is implemented differently and does not appear to be linked to the same group. TroubleGrabber is written by an individual named “Itroublve” and is currently used by multiple threat actors to target victims on Discord.
An undisclosed number of customers of outdoor clothing retailer The North Face have had their passwords reset by the company, following a credential-stuffing attack. The company has revealed that on October 9, 2020, it became aware that hackers had used usernames and passwords stolen from a third-party website to gain unauthorised access to customer accounts.
The number of successful ransomware attacks on the education sector increased 388% in the third quarter of 2020. According to Emsisoft, the education sector reported 31 ransomware incidents in Q3 2020. That’s a 388% increase over the 8 incidents that occurred in the previous quarter. Nine of the 31 ransomware attacks disclosed in the third quarter of the year involved data exfiltration, a tactic which has become common with ransomware gangs over the past year.
