Ransomware: What's Changed Since Colonial Pipeline Got Hit?

Mathew J. Schwartz • May 20, 2022

When Colonial Pipeline suffered an outage in May 2021 as a result of an attack by the DarkSide crime syndicate, numerous governments changed their approach to ransomware and began treating it as a national security threat, says Rapid7's Jen Ellis. She details what needs to happen next.

Business Continuity Management / Disaster Recovery

Zero Trust, Cloud Adoption Drive Demand for Authorization

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Cybercrime

Massive Surge in Use of Linux XorDDos Malware Reported

Prajeet Nair • May 21, 2022

Microsoft has observed a 254% increase in activity over the past six months from a Linux Trojan called XorDDos. First discovered in 2014, XorDDos was named after its denial-of-service-related activities on Linux endpoints and servers and its usage of XOR-based encryption for its communications.

Application Security

Pathlock-Appsian Deal Combines App Governance, ERP Security

Michael Novinson • May 20, 2022

Pathlock has merged with Appsian to form a 500-person vendor that secures users and data across SAP and Oracle's ERP apps. Bringing Pathlock, Appsian and Security Weaver together will allow the firm to take a larger bite out of the $110 billion market focused on compliance testing for business apps.

Anti-Money Laundering (AML)

What Is Behind the Increase in Crypto Fraud?

Suparna Goswami • May 20, 2022

There has been a rise in crypto fraud, and a substantial portion of it can be attributed to stimulus funding and paycheck protection programs, says David Britton, vice president of strategy, global ID and fraud at Experian. He discusses new authentication methods and stricter regulations.

Business Continuity Management / Disaster Recovery

ISMG Editors: The Case of the 'Dr. Evil' of Ransomware

Anna Delaney • May 20, 2022

In the latest update, four ISMG editors discuss the alarming, bizarre case of a cardiologist in Venezuela charged with developing malware and recruiting affiliates, recent ransomware and data leak incidents in healthcare and how the economy is causing mature cybersecurity startups to slow hiring.

Critical Infrastructure Security

Feds Warn Health Sector of Top Russia-Backed APT Groups

Marianne Kolbasuk McGee • May 20, 2022

Federal authorities are alerting healthcare sector entities of threats posed by Russian state-sponsored cyber groups, including some linked to attacks on pharmaceutical and related firms. Meanwhile, other ransomware gangs continue their assaults on a variety of U.S. medical facilities.

Fraud Management & Cybercrime

DOJ Revises Policy for Good-Faith Security Researchers

Mihir Bagwe • May 20, 2022

The U.S. Department of Justice has revised its policy on who it charges with violations under the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act. The DOJ now specifies that good-faith security research and researchers cannot be charged under the CFAA because they help improve cybersecurity standards.

3rd Party Risk Management

Canada Bans Huawei, ZTE to Secure Telecom Systems

Prajeet Nair • May 20, 2022

Canada says it will no longer allow the use of products and services from China's Huawei Technologies and ZTE Corp. in its telecommunications systems. The government says its decision is based on reviews by independent security agencies and was made in consultation with its "closest allies."

Endpoint Detection & Response (EDR)

Palo Alto CEO: Vendor Consolidation Is Fueling Our Growth

Michael Novinson • May 19, 2022

Palo Alto Networks' product portfolio is paying dividends as customers look to reduce their vendor footprint, says CEO Nikesh Arora. He says despite pressures in the global economy, enterprises aren't currently stressing about their IT budgets.

Fraud Management & Cybercrime

2 Health Plans Report Major Breaches Following Attacks

Marianne Kolbasuk McGee • May 19, 2022

Two recent apparent ransomware attacks on health plans have potentially affected hundreds of thousands of individuals. One of the incidents allegedly involved the Conti ransomware group, and the other allegedly involved Hive. One of the health plans is already facing legal fallout.

Fraud Management & Cybercrime

Ransomware Attack Vectors: RDP and Phishing Still Dominate

Mathew J. Schwartz • May 19, 2022

Attackers who successfully infect targets with ransomware primarily first gain access by exploiting poorly secured remote desktop protocol or VPN connections or by using malware-laden phishing emails, reports security firm Group-IB, based on more than 700 attacks it investigated in 2021.

3rd Party Risk Management

CISA Advises Federal Agencies to Patch VMware Flaws

Mihir Bagwe • May 19, 2022

An emergency directive from the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency advises all federal agencies in the country to immediately patch and address two vulnerabilities - one with a critical CVSS score and the other with a high score - that affect at least five VMware products.

Critical Infrastructure Security

Ransomware Ecosystem: Big Changes Since Colonial Pipeline

Anna Delaney • May 19, 2022

The latest edition of the ISMG Security Report analyzes the changes in the ransomware landscape one year after the attack on Colonial Pipeline. It also revisits the Ryuk ransomware attack on a school district in Illinois and examines common culprits hindering effective Zero Trust adoption.