Week in review: 8 free cybersecurity docus, vulnerable Intel Core processors, Black Hat USA 2023

Week in review

Here’s an overview of some of last week’s most interesting news, articles, interviews and videos:

Zoom CISO Michael Adams discusses cybersecurity threats, solutions, and the future
In this Help Net Security interview, we delve into the world of cybersecurity with Michael Adams, the CISO at Zoom. Adams analyzes how organizations grapple with the effects of workforce shortages and remote work complications, offering insights into best practices for safeguarding products and services in this challenging era.

Getting the best possible outcome in ransomware negotiation
In this Help Net Security interview, Azeem Aleem, MD of UK and Northern Europe at Sygnia, unravels the complexities of ransomware negotiation and highlights the measures that organizations can take to protect themselves against cyber threats.

Using creative recruitment strategies to tackle the cybersecurity skills shortage
In this Help Net Security interview, Jon Check, Executive Director of Cybersecurity Protection Solutions at Raytheon, sheds light on the significance of internships and apprenticeships in nurturing the next generation of cyber defenders.

Learning from past healthcare breaches to fortify future cybersecurity strategies
In the face of rising cyber threats, the healthcare sector has become a hotbed for cyberattacks. Given the gravity of this situation, we sat down with Shenny Sheth, Deputy CISO at Centura Health, who sheds light on the contributing factors making healthcare organizations vulnerable, the role of legacy IT systems, common network monitoring mistakes, patterns in data breaches, and the financial implications of these attacks.

How digital content security stays resilient amid evolving threats
In this Help Net Security interview, Rusty Cumpston, CEO at RKVST, discusses blockchain’s role in maintaining the immutability of supply chain history and its effects on digital content security.

PaperCut fixes bug that can lead to RCE, patch quickly! (CVE-2023-39143)
Horizon3.ai researchers have published some details (but no PoC for now, thankfully!) about CVE-2023-39143, two vulnerabilities in PaperCut application servers that could be exploited by unauthenticated attackers to execute code remotely.

August 2023 Patch Tuesday: Microsoft fixes critical bugs in Teams, MSMQ
August 2023 Patch Tuesday is here; among the 76 CVE-numbered issues fixed by Microsoft this time around is a DoS vulnerability in .NET and Visual Studio (CVE-2023-38180) for which proof-of-exploit code exists.

Downfall attacks can gather passwords, encryption keys from Intel processors
A variety of Intel Core processors and the devices using them are vulnerable to “Downfall”, a new class of attacks made possible by CVE-2022-40982, which enables attackers to access and steal sensitive data such as passwords, encryption keys, and private data from other users on the same personal or cloud computer.

Keystroke sounds can betray passwords
Researchers from several UK universities have proven that the recorded sounds of laptop keystrokes can be used to obtain sensitive user data such as passwords with a high accuracy.

North Korean hackers breached Russian missile development firm
North Korean state-sponsored hackers have breached Russian missile maker NPO Mashinostroyeniya, according to SentinelLabs researchers.

Google unveils stronger cellular security for Android 14
Google has revealed new cellular security mitigations that will be available for users and enterprises on its soon-to-be-released Android 14, and announced a new release schedule for Chrome Stable channel updates.

Microsoft 365 accounts of execs, managers hijacked through EvilProxy
A phishing campaign leveraging the EvilProxy phishing-as-a-service (PhaaS) tool has been spotted targeting Microsoft 365 user accounts of C-level executives and managers at over 100 organizations around the world.

For TSA’s updated Pipeline Security Directive, consistency and collaboration are key
Late last month, the Transportation Security Administration renewed and updated its security directive aimed at enhancing the cybersecurity of oil and natural gas pipelines.

Navigating the gray zone of ransomware payment practices
In this Help Net Security video, Jordan Schroeder, Managing CISO at Barrier Networks, discusses ransomware payment practices.

8 free cybersecurity documentaries you can watch right now
Here’s a list of eight free cybersecurity documentaries that shine a light on cybercrime and the digital defense industry.

Why cybersecurity is a blue-collar job
Cybersecurity has witnessed exponential growth in recent years, fueled by the increasing sophistication of cyber threats. As the demand for skilled professionals continues to surge, traditional approaches to education and job requirements are being challenged.

Dark web activity targeting the financial sector
In this Help Net Security video, Jim Simpson, Director of Threat Intelligence at Searchlight Cyber, discusses threats against the financial sector.

SandboxAQ launches open-source meta-library of cryptographic algorithms
SandboxAQ launched Sandwich, an open-source framework that simplifies modern cryptography management and enables developers to steer their organizations towards cryptographic agility.

Will AI kill cybersecurity jobs?
Despite AI technologies being used in cybersecurity for the last decade, it can’t be said that the demand for cybersecurity professionals is decreasing.

What to know about FedRAMP Rev. 5 Baselines
In this Help Net Security video, Kaus Phaltankar, CEO at Caveonix, discusses how the recent approval of the FedRAMP Rev. 5 Baselines is a significant step forward in the cloud security and compliance domain.

Budget constraints threaten cybersecurity in government bodies
Government organizations are attractive targets for threat actors whose motivations may be geopolitical, financial, or disruption, according to BlackBerry.

How to handle API sprawl and the security threat it poses
API security isn’t solely the responsibility of IT security professionals. In most organizations, it’s a shared responsibility that starts early in the software development lifecycle.

How to accelerate and access DDoS protection services using GRE
In this Help Net Security video, Andrey Slastenov, Head of Web Security at Gcore, discusses how a GRE tunnel can protect servers from DDoS attacks.

Seasoned cyber pros are more complacent in their skills than junior staff
Average response time accelerated from 29 to 19 days, from 2021 to 2022, with lessons from Log4j and other high-profile vulnerabilities having a significant impact on urgency levels, according to Immersive Labs.

Data exfiltration is now the go-to cyber extortion strategy
The abuse of zero-day and one-day vulnerabilities in the past six months led to a 143% increase in victims when comparing Q1 2022 with Q1 2023, according to Akamai.

The ransomware rollercoaster continues as criminals advance their business models
Ransomware shows no signs of slowing, with ransomware activity ending 13 times higher than at the start of 2023 as a proportion of all malware detections, according to Fortinet.

Cybersecurity as a global, multi-sector activity with Mihoko Matsubara
Mihoko Matsubara’s journey exemplifies the power of knowledge, bridging cultures, and fostering collaboration to protect our digital world.

How to get started with ongoing configuration assessments
The CIS Benchmarks are consensus-developed, best practice secure configuration guidelines that you can use to harden your target systems.

Black Hat USA 2023 video walkthrough
Help Net Security is in Las Vegas this week for Black Hat USA 2023, and this video provides a closer look at the event.

Photos: Black Hat USA 2023
Black Hat USA 2023 returned to the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas and Help Net Security was on-site. The conference featured over 100 selected Briefings, open-source tool demos in the Arsenal, a Business Hall, networking events, and more.

New infosec products of the week: August 11, 2023
Here’s a look at the most interesting products from the past week, featuring releases from Adaptive Shield, LastPass, NetSPI, Solvo, ThreatConnect, and Vicarius

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