Help Net Security

The FreeBSD Foundation, in partnership with the Alpha-Omega Project, has released the results of an extensive security audit of two critical FreeBSD components: the bhyve hypervisor and the Capsicum sandboxing framework. The audit, conducted by the offensive security firm Synacktiv, provides insights into potential vulnerabilities and highlights the importance of proactive security measures in open-source software. The security audit, carried out in June and July 2024, aimed to identify vulnerabilities in these subsystems’ user-mode and … More →

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Imagine navigating a labyrinth where the walls constantly shift, and the path ahead is obscured by fog. If this brings up a visceral image, you’ve either seen David Bowie’s iconic film or are very familiar with the real-world challenge of compliance in today’s fast-paced business environment. Just as in the labyrinth, where every turn can lead to unexpected challenges or opportunities, companies face a complex maze of regulatory requirements. As a CSO, your role demands … More →

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In this Help Net Security interview, Stuart McClure, CEO of Qwiet AI, discusses the evolution of code scanning practices, highlighting the shift from reactive fixes to proactive risk management. McClure also shares his perspective on the future of AI-driven code scanning, emphasizing the potential of machine learning in threat detection and remediation. How have you observed code scanning practices evolve in recent years, especially with cloud adoption and DevSecOps? Code scanning has come a long … More →

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According to Gartner, the broad range of pricing for government, risk, and compliance (GRC) tools requires enterprise risk management (ERM) leaders to be well-versed in distinct pricing tiers of GRC solutions. In this Help Net Security video, Joel Backaler, Director/Analyst, Risk Technology & Analytics at Gartner, discusses how ERM leaders consider several critical questions to determine which GRC solution tier best aligns with their needs. Fill out the form to download your copy:

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ScubaGear is an open-source tool the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) created to automatically evaluate Microsoft 365 (M365) configurations for potential security gaps. ScubaGear analyzes an organization’s M365 tenant configuration, offering actionable insights and recommendations to help administrators address security gaps and strengthen defenses within their Microsoft 365 environment. The private sector, critical infrastructure, and all levels of government utilize the tool. ScubaGear’s reports guide organizations in quickly identifying and addressing configuration vulnerabilities, reducing … More →

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Cybercrime reporting mechanisms vary across the globe, with each country offering different methods for citizens to report cybercrime, including online fraud, identity theft, and other cyber-related offenses. Victims are usually instructed to complete an online form that asks for personal details, a description of the crime, and any collected evidence. While online reporting forms are commonly used, in certain situations, it may be more effective to visit a local police station and report the crime … More →

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Here’s an overview of some of last week’s most interesting news, articles, interviews and videos: Microsoft fixes actively exploited zero-days (CVE-2024-43451, CVE-2024-49039) November 2024 Patch Tuesday is here, and Microsoft has dropped fixes for 89 new security issues in its various products, two of which – CVE-2024-43451 and CVE-2024-49039 – are actively exploited by attackers. Massive troves of Amazon, HSBC employee data leaked A threat actor who goes by the online moniker “Nam3L3ss” has leaked … More →

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Hijacking domains using a ‘Sitting Ducks attack’ remains an underrecognized topic in the cybersecurity community. Few threat researchers are familiar with this attack vector, and knowledge is scarce. However, the prevalence of these attacks and the risk to organizations are significant. Infoblox researchers estimate that over 1 million registered domains could be vulnerable daily. More evidence found on Sitting Ducks Attacks During a Sitting Ducks attack, the malicious actor gains control of a domain by … More →

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Cyber crooks are trying out an interesting new approach for getting information-stealing malware installed on Android users’ smartphones: a physical letter impersonating MeteoSwiss (i.e., Switzerland’s Federal Office of Meteorology and Climatology). “The letter asks the recipients to install a new severe weather app. However, there is no such federal app with the name mentioned. Rather, the QR code shown in the letter leads to the download of malware called ‘Coper’ (also known as ‘Octo2’),” the … More →

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Attackers have been spotted exploiting two additional vulnerabilities (CVE-2024-9463, CVE-2024-9465) in Palo Alto Networks’ Expedition firewall configuration migration tool, CISA has confirmed on Thursday. About the vulnerabilities (CVE-2024-9463, CVE-2024-9465) CVE-2024-9463 allows unauthenticated attackers to run arbitrary OS commands as root on vulnerable Expedition instances, leading to disclosure of usernames, cleartext passwords, device configurations, and device API keys of PAN-OS firewalls. CVE-2024-9465 – an SQL injection vulnerability – allows unauthenticated attackers to grab data from Expedition’s … More →

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Oscilar unveiled its Cognitive Identity Intelligence Platform to combat the rising tide of AI-powered fraud. The platform’s proprietary “Digital & Behavior Identification” technology transforms digital identity verification in an era where traditional solutions are increasingly vulnerable to sophisticated AI-enabled attacks. At its current growth rate, Deloitte’s Center for Financial Services predicts that generative AI could enable fraud losses to reach $40 billion in the United States by 2027, from $12.3 billion in 2023, a compound … More →

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IBM announced Autonomous Security for Cloud (ASC), an AI-powered solution from IBM Consulting designed to automate cloud security management and decision-making to help mitigate risk for organizations accelerating their cloud journey on Amazon Web Services (AWS) environments. Highlighted in IBM’s 2024 Cloud Threat Landscape report, misconfigurations and compliance failures were identified as the top threats organizations face as they increasingly rely on cloud computing environments. Yet, in a technology landscape where security is non-negotiable, maintaining … More →

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Bitsight announced it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Cybersixgill, a global cyber threat intelligence (CTI) data provider. Together, Bitsight and Cybersixgill will provide visibility into an organization’s external attack surface, supply chain, and the threats targeting it. As a result, security leaders can proactively identify, prioritize, and mitigate risk across their first and third party environments. With cyber attacks on the rise, CTI data is increasingly vital. However, applying threat intelligence findings to … More →

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USX Cyber released advanced phishing protection tools within its GUARDIENT XDR platform. This latest enhancement enables organizations to strengthen defenses against sophisticated phishing attacks by providing employees with realistic training and heightened awareness of phishing threats. Phishing attacks are growing increasingly sophisticated and dangerous as threat actors exploit social engineering techniques and AI to enhance their tactics. The new suite includes a phishing simulation tool that mimics real-world phishing techniques, equipping employees to identify and respond … More →

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In this Help Net Security interview, Tony Perez, CEO at NOC.org, discusses the role of continuous monitoring for real-time threat detection, the unique risks posed by APIs, and strategies for securing web applications. Perez also addresses how AI-driven threats are shaping the future of web security and the need for adaptive defenses. Could you elaborate on the importance of continuous monitoring, especially for detecting zero-day vulnerabilities and runtime threats? Continuous monitoring is probably one of … More →

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In this Help Net Security video, Venkat Gopalakrishnan, Principal Data Science Manager at Microsoft, discusses the development of AI-driven risk scoring models tailored for cybersecurity threats, and how AI is revolutionizing risk assessment and management in cybersecurity.

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Finance and insurance sectors found to have the highest number of critical vulnerabilities, according to Black Duck. Finance and insurance industry faces highest vulnerabilities The report, which analyzes data from over 200,000 dynamic application security testing (DAST) scans conducted by Black Duck on approximately 1,300 applications across 19 industry sectors from June 2023 to June 2024, found variations in vulnerability types and remediation practices. Of the 96,917 total vulnerabilities identified, the two most critical categories … More →

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Here’s a look at the most interesting products from the past week, featuring releases from Absolute Security, BlackFog, Eurotech, Nirmata, Rakuten Viber, Syteca, and Vectra. Eurotech ReliaGATE 15A-14 enables organizations to meet regulatory standards The ReliaGATE 15A-14 combines flexible feature expansion to adapt to diverse customer requirements with multiple compact form factors ideal for space-constrained deployments. With cellular carrier certification and global coverage, it enables customers to operate across multiple regions with a single device … More →

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NIST’s latest report, “Hardware Security Failure Scenarios: Potential Hardware Weaknesses” (NIST IR 8517), explores the hidden vulnerabilities in computer hardware, a domain often considered more secure than software. The report highlights how hardware flaws embedded in chip designs can lead to security risks that are difficult to fix post-production. The document outlines 98 failure scenarios, detailing various ways attackers can exploit hardware design and implementation weaknesses. Issues such as improper access control, faulty coding standards … More →

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The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) is clearing the backlog of unprocessed CVE-numbered vulnerabilities in the National Vulnerability Database (NVD), but has admitted that their initial estimate of when they would finish the job was “optimistic”. About the NVD The National Vulnerability Database is a public repository of vulnerabilities that have been published on MITRE’s CVE List. “NVD staff are tasked with enrichment of CVEs by aggregating data points from the description, references … More →

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