👉 What’s the latest in the cyber world today?
Perforce Helix Server, PikaBot Malware, Outlook RCE, Oracle WebLogic Exploit, Windows 11 Update, Wi-Fi, Iran Experiences Cyber Attack, VF Corporation Hit, Supreme, Vans, Timberland, The North Face, Xfinity Data breach, Aurory Game Hit, Washington County, India’s AI Boost, Website Misinformation, Apple Halts US Sales, Google Settlement, Vehicle Data Privacy.
🚨 Cyber Alerts
1. Perforce Helix Server Critical Flaw
Microsoft has discovered four vulnerabilities, one critical, in the widely used Perforce Helix Core Server, a source code management platform. The flaws, mainly involving denial of service issues, were responsibly reported to Perforce in August 2023, with the most severe vulnerability (CVE-2023-45849) allowing unauthenticated remote code execution as LocalSystem, posing a significant risk. Users are advised to upgrade to version 2023.1/2513900 released on November 7, 2023, to mitigate these security risks. Microsoft has not observed any exploitation attempts in the wild, but the potential impact of the vulnerabilities, especially the critical one, emphasizes the importance of prompt updates and security measures.
2. PikaBot Threatens via Malicious Ads
Cybercriminals leverage malicious ads in Google searches to distribute the PikaBot malware, with indications of specialized services evading Google’s security. The threat actor, TA577, deploys PikaBot through a malvertising campaign, using tactics like decoy infrastructures and exploiting Google search ads, posing a rising risk to enterprises through browser-based attacks and social engineering.
3. Outlook Flaws Enable Remote Execution
Microsoft Windows had two now-patched vulnerabilities, CVE-2023-35384 and CVE-2023-36710, which, when chained together, could enable remote code execution on Outlook without user interaction. Discovered by Akamai, these issues were addressed by Microsoft in August and October 2023, with the potential to conduct a relay attack and allow an attacker-controlled server to download a malicious sound file leading to zero-click code execution on victim machines.
4. Oracle WebLogic Exploit Spreading Malware
The 8220 Gang, recognized for its involvement in cryptojacking, has recently been found exploiting a critical vulnerability, CVE-2020-14883, in Oracle WebLogic Server. This flaw, enabling remote code execution, is leveraged by the gang to deploy various malware, including Agent Tesla and coin mining threats. Operating with an opportunistic approach across sectors and countries, the 8220 Gang emphasizes the importance for organizations to swiftly apply patches and adopt best practices to mitigate the risk of exploitation.
5. Windows 11 Update Disrupts Wi-Fi
The December 2023 Patch Tuesday’s Windows 11 KB5033375 cumulative update has been reported to cause Wi-Fi connectivity issues on certain devices. Users, including those from universities, have experienced problems with enterprise wireless networks, prompting advisories to uninstall the KB5033375 update and the optional cumulative update preview KB50532288 if installed, while home users have not reported similar Wi-Fi problems.
6. Iran Faces Cyberattack on Fuel Supply
Gas stations across Iran shut down in an apparent cyberattack targeting the fuel supply system, disabling nearly 70% of stations. The group “Gonjeshke Darande” claimed responsibility, previously linked to cyberattacks on Iranian gas stations, steel foundries, and railway systems, with suspicions of being nation-state-sponsored or part of a military intelligence unit.
7. VF Corp Faces Ransomware Attack
VF Corporation, the owner of well-known brands like Supreme, Vans, Timberland, and The North Face, suffered a cyberattack on December 13, 2023, causing operational disruptions. The apparel giant disclosed the incident in a Form 8-K filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), stating that some IT systems were encrypted, and data, including personal information, was stolen. While the company is working to restore affected systems and minimize disruption, the incident is expected to have a material impact on VF Corp’s business operations, potentially affecting customer orders and financials.
8. Xfinity Data Breach Follows Citrix Hack
Xfinity, operated by Comcast Cable Communications, disclosed a data breach resulting from attackers compromising one of its Citrix servers in October. Customer-sensitive information, including usernames, hashed passwords, and potentially additional data such as names and contact information, was exfiltrated, prompting Xfinity to proactively reset passwords for affected users, although some customers reported receiving reset requests without clear explanations.
9. Aurory Game Faces Exploit
The Pokémon-like battler game Aurory encountered a major exploit, enabling an attacker to withdraw approximately 600,000 AURY tokens valued at $830,000. In response, the developers swiftly disabled the SyncSpace blockchain bridge connecting the game to Solana and Ethereum scaling network Arbitrum. Aurory’s Executive Producer, Jonathan Campeau, revealed that the team is actively working on a global patch for backend services to address the issue, emphasizing the urgency of cybersecurity measures in the face of increased hacking attempts following the recent Seekers of Tokane Aurory game expansion announcement.
10. Washington County Under Cyber Threat
Washington County has faced an ongoing cyber attack since Friday, with over 14,000 attempts to log into servers on the first day alone. The attack intensified over the weekend, reaching more than 33,000 attempts on Sunday, targeting servers with public access like email and GIS mapping information. Although officials have successfully blocked these attempts, the cyber attack, described as a “dictionary attack,” continues to pose a threat to the county’s computer systems.
📢 Cyber News
11. India Aims for $1T AI Boost by 2029
India aims to boost its GDP by up to $1.5 trillion by 2029 through generative AI, according to an EY report. The study suggests that AI’s cumulative impact on India’s GDP may range from $1.2 trillion to $1.5 trillion over seven years, contributing up to 7.2% to the country’s GDP in 2030.
12. AI Boosts Misinformation on Websites
The number of AI-generated websites spreading misinformation has surged over 1,000% since May 2023, according to NewsGuard, highlighting the increased use of generative AI tools. NewsGuard identified 603 AI-generated sites with minimal human oversight, enabling the easy dissemination of false narratives, raising concerns about the potential impact on public perception and upcoming events like the 2024 US presidential election.
13. Apple Halts US Sales Amid Patent Dispute
Apple announced a temporary pause in the sales of the Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2 in the US due to an order from the US International Trade Commission (ITC) over a patent dispute involving the Blood Oxygen feature. The ITC found that Apple’s devices violate Masimo’s pulse oximetry patents, prompting the sales suspension. While Apple believes the ITC’s decision is erroneous and plans to appeal, the pause will take effect starting December 21st, with a potential presidential review period underway until December 25th.
14. Google Settles $700M in Antitrust Case
Google has reached a $700 million settlement in an antitrust case with US states and consumers, agreeing to foster greater competition in its Play app store. The settlement, awaiting a judge’s final approval, involves Google paying $630 million to a settlement fund for consumers and $70 million to a fund for states. The tech giant was accused of overcharging consumers through restrictive app distribution practices on Android devices and imposing unnecessary fees for in-app transactions, though it did not admit wrongdoing.
15. Police and Vehicle Data Privacy
The integration of computers into cars is transforming law enforcement, with companies like Berla providing tools that allow police to extract a wealth of data from vehicles for criminal investigations. Berla’s technology, embraced by police departments nationwide, enables the retrieval of text messages, GPS locations, emails, call histories, and more. However, this growing trend sparks privacy debates, as the ease of data extraction from cars raises concerns about potential constitutional violations and the need for legislative safeguards in the evolving landscape of mobile computing platforms on wheels.
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