Security News

Cybercriminals wielding the FARGO ransomware are targeting Microsoft SQL servers, AhnLab's ASEC analysis team has warned. They haven't pinpointed how the attackers are getting access to the targeted servers, but noted that typical attacks targeting database servers include brute force and dictionary attacks aimed at ferreting out the passwords of existing, poorly secured accounts.

Organizations are being warned about a wave of attacks targeting Microsoft SQL Server with ransomware known as Fargo, which encrypts files and threatens victims that their data may be published online if they do not pay up. The warning comes in a blog posting from analysts at the AhnLab Security Emergency Response Center, which says that Fargo is one of the most prominent ransomware strains targeting vulnerable SQL Server instances, and was previously also known as Mallox because it used the file extension.

Vulnerable Microsoft SQL servers are being targeted in a new wave of attacks with FARGO ransomware, security researchers are warning. BleepingComputer has reported similar attacks in February, dropping Cobalt Strike beacons, and in July when threat actors hijacked vulnerable MS-SQL servers to steal bandwidth for proxy services.

Threat actors are generating revenue by using adware bundles, malware, or even hacking into Microsoft SQL servers, to convert devices into proxies rented through online proxy services. To steal a device's bandwidth, the threat actors install software called 'proxyware' that allocates a device's available internet bandwidth as a proxy server that remote users can use for various tasks, like testing, intelligence collection, content distribution, or market research.

Threat actors have been adopting a less common method to generate revenue and are leveraging payloads to install proxyware services on target systems. Proxyware is a program that allows allocating available internet bandwidth over a proxy to users that need it for various tasks, like testing, intelligence collection, content distribution, or market research.

SonicWall has published a security advisory today to warn of a critical SQL injection flaw impacting the GMS and Analytics On-Prem products.The flaw, tracked as CVE-2022-22280, allows SQL injection due to improper neutralization of special elements used in an SQL Command.

The Django project, an open source Python-based web framework has patched a high severity vulnerability in its latest releases. Tracked as CVE-2022-34265, the potential SQL Injection vulnerability impacts Django's main branch, and versions 4.1, 4.0, and 3.2, with patches and new releases issued that squash the vulnerability.

Microsoft on Tuesday warned that it recently spotted a malicious campaign targeting SQL Servers that leverages a built-in PowerShell binary to achieve persistence on compromised systems. The intrusions, which leverage brute-force attacks as an initial compromise vector, stand out for their use of the utility "Sqlps.exe," the tech giant said in a series of tweets.

Hackers target poorly secured Microsoft SQL and MySQL database servers to deploy the Gh0stCringe remote access trojans on vulnerable devices. In a new report today by cybersecurity firm AhnLab, researchers outline how the threat actors behind GhostCringe are targeting poorly secured database servers with weak account credentials and no oversight.

Threat analysts have observed a new wave of attacks installing Cobalt Strike beacons on vulnerable Microsoft SQL Servers, leading to deeper infiltration and subsequent malware infections. The attacks start with threat actors scanning for servers with an open TCP port 1433, which are likely public-facing MS-SQL servers.