Security News
A "Staggering" 120,000 computers infected by stealer malware have credentials associated with cybercrime forums, many of them belonging to malicious actors. "Hackers around the world infect computers opportunistically by promoting results for fake software or through YouTube tutorials directing victims to download infected software," Hudson Rock CTO Alon Gal told The Hacker News.
Israeli cyber-intelligence firm KELA notes that although hacktivism appears to be about causing service disruption through DDoS attacks or reputation damage via data leaks, the modus operandi of these threat groups encompasses a broader scope of activities, including common cybercrime tactics. Starting with the pro-Russia group Killnet, KELA says the hacktivists promoted a botnet for hire in November 2021, but their monetization methods expanded significantly in 2023.
Amid a recent uptick in cybercrime on local governments, cities have been left to recover for months after the initial attack. Leaders in Dallas, Texas are ready to spend months recovering from an attack that hindered the city's 911 emergency services, court systems, and more.
A Ukrainian man, Vitalii Chychasov, has pleaded guilty in the United States to conspiracy to commit access device fraud and trafficking in unauthorized access devices through the now-shutdown SSNDOB Marketplace. The SSNDOB platform listed and sold the personal details of 24 million people, generating a sales revenue of over $19,000,000.
Tax-paying individuals in Mexico and Chile have been targeted by a Mexico-based cybercrime group that goes by the name Fenix to breach targeted networks and steal valuable data. "These fake websites prompt users to download a supposed security tool, claiming it will enhance their portal navigation safety," Metabase Q security researchers Gerardo Corona and Julio Vidal said in a recent analysis.
Conor Brian Fitzpatrick, the owner of the now-defunct BreachForums website, has pleaded guilty to charges related to his operation of the cybercrime forum as well as having child pornography images. The development, first reported by DataBreaches.net last week, comes nearly four months after Fitzpatrick was formally charged in the U.S. with conspiracy to commit access device fraud and possession of child pornography.
Sponsored Post Kroll's latest State of Incident Response: APAC report suggests that over half of all organizations in Asia Pacific have experienced a cyber incident, of which a third have suffered multiple incidents. Kroll's research indicates that 36 percent of the Asia Pacific organizations it surveyed appear not to have an incident response plan to mitigate and neutralize threats in place should incidents occur, which leaves them vulnerable to further attacks, predicts the company.
A suspected senior member of a French-speaking hacking crew known as OPERA1ER has been arrested as part of an international law enforcement operation codenamed Nervone, Interpol has announced. "The group is believed to have stolen an estimated USD 11 million - potentially as much as 30 million - in more than 30 attacks across 15 countries in Africa, Asia, and Latin America," the agency said.
Law enforcement has detained a suspect believed to be a key member of the OPERA1ER cybercrime group, which has targeted mobile banking services and financial institutions in malware, phishing, and Business Email Compromise campaigns. The suspect was arrested by authorities in Côte d'Ivoire in early June following a joint law enforcement action dubbed Operation Nervone with the help of AFRIPOL, Interpol's Cybercrime Directorate, cybersecurity company Group-IB, and telecom carrier Orange.
A threat actor known as Muddled Libra is targeting the business process outsourcing industry with persistent attacks that leverage advanced social engineering ploys to gain initial access. "The attack style defining Muddled Libra appeared on the cybersecurity radar in late 2022 with the release of the 0ktapus phishing kit, which offered a prebuilt hosting framework and bundled templates," Palo Alto Networks Unit 42 said in a technical report.