USB-based malware attacks spike during the first half of 2023, ransomware payments skyrocket, and Big Head ransomware accelerates.
CyberWire wrote: "Researchers at SlashNext describe a generative AI cybercrime tool called “WormGPT,” which is being advertised on underground forums as “a blackhat alternative to GPT models, designed specifically for malicious activities.” The tool can generate output that legitimate AI models try to prevent, such as malware code or phishing templates.
New insight from blockchain analysis company, Chainalysis, shows that activity involving known ransomware crypto addresses has grown over the last 18 months, despite a downfall of other malicious activity. When I cover reports, there’s an understanding that the accuracy of the data provided is dependent on the number of organizations responding to a survey, the geos and industries represented, etc.
Since December 22nd, 2022, there has been an increase in malware sent via Phishing emails via a OneNote attachment. As with most phishing emails, the end user would open the OneNote attachment but unlike Microsoft Word or Microsoft Excel, OneNote does not support macros. This is how threat actors previously launched scripts to install malware.
As the rate of ransomware attacks steadily increased over time, there are clear indicators as to how these attacks are starting and, therefore, what can be done to stop them. With the exception of the Verizon Data Breach Investigations Report, we rarely get insight into specific industry verticals.
Ransomware and cyberattacks are on the rise, and that’s a deeply concerning thought for technology leaders. Considering what a breach could cost, and how long it would take to rectify, it’s no wonder risk mitigation and response is at the forefront of every CTO’s mind. Ransomware is a type of malicious software that blocks access to a computer system or encrypts files until a ransom is paid. It’s often spread through phishing emails or infected websites.
If your organization uses Microsoft Teams, then you definitely want to hear about a new way bad actors are exploiting this newly discovered cyber attack tool. "TeamsPhisher," a new tool recently discovered on GitHub, gives cybercriminals a new way to deliver malicious files directly to any Teams user. The genesis of this new cyber attack tool was published by the US Navy Red Team due to a recently discovered vulnerability in Microsoft Teams.
