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What came first, the Golden Chickens or more_eggs? [Research Saturday] Sep 26, 2020

Show notes

Throughout March and April, QuoIntelligence (QuoINT) observed four attacks (i.e. sightings) utilizing various tools from the Golden Chickens (GC) Malware-as-a-Service (MaaS) portfolio – they recently declassified their findings, after first notifying their clients. Further, during their analysis of the sightings, QuoIntelligence confirmed the GC MaaS Operator, Badbullzvenom, released improved variants with code updates to three tools in the service portfolio.

Joining us in this week's Research Saturday to discuss the research is QuoIntelligence's Vice President of Threat Intelligence, Chaz Hobson.

The research can be found here:

Latest Golden Chickens MaaS Tools Updates and Observed Attacks

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Lots of coordinated inauthenticity, but a small return in influence. Confidence building in cyberspace? CISA reports finding that a Federal agency was hacked. Cyberattacks on hospitals are up. Sep 25, 2020

Show notes

Facebook takes down three Russian networks for coordinated inauthenticity: a lot of activity but not much evident ROI. Russia calls for confidence-building measures in cyberspace. CISA detects a successful incursion into an unnamed Federal agency. Governments warn of heightened rates of cyberattacks against medical organizations. Mike Benjamin from Lumen joins us with details on Alina malware. Our guest is James Dawson with insights on how to best calibrate your security budget. And there’s a not-guilty plea in the case of the attempted bribery of a Tesla insider.

For links to all of today's stories check out our CyberWire daily news brief:

https://www.thecyberwire.com/newsletters/daily-briefing/9/187

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Not the Gremlin from the Kremlin. Zerologn exploited in the wild. Cyberespionage phishing in NATO’s pond. US Treasury announces sanctions. Four guilty pleas coming in eBay cyberstalking case. Sep 24, 2020

Show notes

Zerologon is being actively exploited in the wild. The OldGremlin ransomware gang picks on Russian targets. Thought Fancy Bear was done with NATO? (Think again.) The US Treasury Department sanctions more organizations and individuals for malign influence operations. Betsy Carmelite from BAH on vaccine laboratory cybersecurity. Our guest is Shena Tharnish from Comcast Business with insights for small businesses concerned with COVID-19 related phishing. And four of the defendants indicted in the eBay cyberstalking case have chosen their pleas.

For links to all of today's stories check out our CyberWire daily news brief:

https://www.thecyberwire.com/newsletters/daily-briefing/9/186

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Naval Gazing around the South China Sea, and other disinformation. LokiBot is back in a big way. Darknet merchants busted. Cyber rioting along the Blue Nile. Sep 23, 2020

Show notes

Facebook takes down coordinated inauthenticity. A ransomware-involved death is attributed to DoppelPaymer. CISA and the FBI warn of coming election disinformation. LokiBot is back in a big way. Operation DisrupTor collars a hundred-seventy Darknet contraband merchants. Joe Carrigan comments on the botched ransomware attack in Germany that led to a woman's death. Our guest is Matt Davey from 1Password on why single sign on isn’t a silver bullet for enterprise security. And patriotic hacktivism flares along the Blue Nile.

For links to all of today's stories check out our CyberWire daily news brief:

https://www.thecyberwire.com/newsletters/daily-briefing/9/185

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Bing backend exposed, for a bit. CIA thinks Russian influence ops are top-directed. TikTok Global spin-off may not be enough. Destination automation. Hacks that weren’t, and one big guilty plea. Sep 22, 2020

Show notes

In an unusual lapse, Microsoft briefly left a Bing backend server exposed online--now fixed. Sources say the CIA has concluded that Russian President Putin is personally involved in setting the direction of operations designed to influence the US elections, The deal to spin out TikTok Global to avoid a US ban may not be enough, Europe looks for more control over tech companies. Activision’s hack seems to be a mere rumor. Ben Yelin on section 230 of the communications decency act. Our guest is Ramon Pinero from Blackberry on the challenges of coordinating public services during the pandemic. And a Dark Overlord cops a plea.

For links to all of today's stories check out our CyberWire daily news brief:

https://www.thecyberwire.com/newsletters/daily-briefing/9/184

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Patch by midnight, and reply by endorsement. Cerberus is howling; Rampant Kitten is yowling. TikTok and WeChat both get reprieves. German police want ransomware operators for homicide. Sep 21, 2020

Show notes

CISA tells the Feds to patch Zerologon by midnight tonight. Cerberus surges after its source code is released. Rampant Kitten, an Iranian surveillance operation, is described. The US bans on WeChat and TikTok were both postponed. Justin Harvey from Accenture marks three years since wannacry with a look at ransomware. Our own Rick Howard on red and blue team operations. And police in Germany are looking for ransomware attackers on a homicide charge.

For links to all of today's stories check out our CyberWire daily news brief:

https://www.thecyberwire.com/newsletters/daily-briefing/9/183

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Monica Ruiz: Moving ahead when not many look like you. [Career Notes] Sep 20, 2020

Show notes

Cyber Initiative and Special Projects Fellow at the Hewlett Foundation Monica Ruiz shares her career development from aspirations of being a weather woman to her current role as a grantmaker and connector in cybersecurity. Monica discusses how her international study experience changed her outlook and brought her to the field of security. She shares the difficulties she faced as a woman of color when when not that many people look like you, and how she used that as her reason to move forward and better the cybersecurity field through her work. Our thanks to Monica for sharing her story with us.

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The cybersecurity paradox. [CyberWire-X] Sep 20, 2020

Show notes

The cybersecurity space is nothing if not crowded. Yet despite all the fantastic offers and promises being made by vendors, the sober reality persists that spending has not equated to improved security. Did you know that 80% of IT security budgets are focused on detection and containment controls, even though 70% of security experts believe that a greater focus on prevention would strengthen their security posture? Joining the conversation are Bob Olsen from Ankura giving his insight on the many options out there when buying cyber security systems and platforms. Later, we will be joined by Steve Salinas, Head of Product Marketing at Deep Instinct, as he addresses this paradox of why organizations are spending their scarce budget in ways that are contrary to their interests.

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Election 2020: What to expect when we are electing. [Research Saturday] Sep 19, 2020

Show notes

After the 2016 General Election, the talk was all around foreign meddling. Rumors swirled that some votes may have been changed or influenced by state-sponsored actors. Sanctions and accusations followed. Four years later, is the U.S. any more prepared to protect the results of its largest elections? More than you may realize.

Talos researchers take a deep dive into election security after spending the past four years talking to local, state and national officials, performing their own independent research and even watching one state plan an election in real-time.

Joining us in this week's Research Saturday to discuss the report on this timely topic is Cisco Talos' Matt Olney.

The research can be found here:

What to expect when you’re electing: Talos’ 2020 election security primer.

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Sunday looks like sanction day for WeChat and TikTok. Grayfly and Blackfly (and APT41). Maze hides payloads in VMs. Ransomware is implicated in a death. Google Play housecleaning. Fox, chickencoop. Sep 18, 2020

Show notes

The US Commerce Department announces a clampdown on TikTok and WeChat, to begin Sunday. An overview of the Grayfly and Blackfly units of APT41. Maze begins delivering payloads inside a VM. A ransomware attack on a Düsseldorf hospital is implicated in the death of a patient. Google wants less stalkerware and misrepresentation in the Play store. Caleb Barlow from Cynergistek on the Military's CMMC program. Our guest Galina Antova from Claroty highlights importance of secure remote access in industrial systems during times of crisis. And an alleged fox was allegedly guarding the henhouse.

For links to all of today's stories check out our CyberWire daily news brief:

https://www.thecyberwire.com/newsletters/daily-briefing/9/182

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