In early October, an anonymous 4chan user posted a 125GB torrent link to the 4chan site containing breached data from the popular streaming platform Twitch. The hacker claimed that the intent of the leak was to “foster more disruption and competition in the online video streaming space”, suggesting that the breach was driven by spiteful intent.  Twitch has since confirmed the breach and stated that it is still working to comprehend the full impact of the incident.

So, what happened? According to Twitch, an error in a server configuration allowed the unknown hacker to maliciously gain access to sensitive reports and unreleased information. Fortunately, there has been no indication that login credentials were accessed and because the platform does not store full credit card numbers, full credit card numbers had not been retrieved. In an attempt to prevent similar breaches from occurring, Twitch has recently increased its bug bounty pay-outs from $3,000 to $5,000.

Bug bounties are deals offered by organizations and websites that promise monetary pay-outs in exchange for reporting bugs that may lead to security exploits and vulnerabilities. Twitch appears desperate to seal off any and all entry points, as labeling of the leak as “part one” suggests that more hacking attempts are likely. If you’re concerned about the security of your organization’s endpoints, feel free to contact us at info@optfinity.com or at (703) 790-0400.

Cybersecurity Awareness Month 2021: Week 3

Last week, we discussed email phishing and the red flags you need be aware of. This common yet effective method of harvesting personal data laid the foundation for attacks that target mobile devices. Though many people are aware of phishing email campaigns, not the same can be said about mobile phishing campaigns.

Hackers use social engineering techniques to target services like Facebook, WhatsApp, SMS, and malicious apps to exploit users who are less suspicious of these new avenues of cybercrime.

Perhaps this explains why research has found that mobile users are three times more likely to fall victim to phishing attempts compared to desktop users.

The goal of mobile phishing attempts is often the same as email phishing attempts, and as such, warrant awareness and attention. Below, we outline the four most common ways hackers are infiltrating mobile devices.

Malicious Apps

Hackers try to trick users into downloading malicious apps in two ways. One method involves using legitimate app stores like the iOS or Android stores. They use these markets to broadcast harmful apps that use phishing tactics to steal personal information.

Though these stores constantly remove malicious apps, some are able to slip through the cracks amidst the torrents of official apps uploaded to these stores on a daily basis. Secondly, cybercriminals create unofficial app stores. Here, fraudulent apps mimicking legitimate ones are riddled with malware that activates only after they are installed.

These two means of infiltrating devices have become more common as corporate desktops have begun implementing pre-approved lists of software. This limits the success of hacking devices through application stores. Meanwhile, mobile devices can download any app from any network, broadening cybercriminals’ points of entry.

To keep yourself safe, never download apps from a browser; only use apps in your device’s official store. Within legitimate stores, keep an eye out for apps from unknown developers or those with few or negative reviews. Lastly, if an app is no longer supported by your device’s store, there’s probably a good reason it isn’t- so just delete it

Smishing

Text messaging is an often-overlooked segment of organizational cybersecurity, making “smishing” (SMS phishing) a newly popular way of hacking into mobile devices. Further, the success of these attacks has only incentivized hackers to continue deploying smishing attacks, as open rates are at an astounding 98%. Smishing primarily exploits devices through encouraging users to click on a link. Opening these links either loads a fraudulent landing page that asks for a user’s login credentials, or secretly downloads spyware onto the device.

Both tactics have been successful in gaining access to personal and corporate data. Be wary of links within texts, and if you are unsure if a link from a seemingly legitimate text is safe, reach out to the company it claims it’s from and confirm if they sent a text to your device from the number you have.  Always use the phone number from an official source and not one which has been sent to you.

Whishing

After hackers saw the success in smishing, they began launching phishing campaigns via a medium commonly used as an alternative to SMS messaging: WhatsApp. “Whishing”, or WhatsApp phishing, operates in the same way that smishing does; through sending malicious links over text. Whishing has risen in prevalence due to its relatively cheap and easy implementation.

WhatsApp allows communication with anyone else on the app, enabling hackers to send mass phishing messages to a plethora of unsuspecting app users.

Whishing can be neutralized by using a web gateway to block connections to a phishing server, so make sure you are connected to your organization’s corporate network before inspecting any strange WhatsApp messages. Whether using a corporate or personal phone, never disclose sensitive information over Wi-Fi unless you know that the network is secure.

Social Media

Lastly, hackers use social media to exploit mobile devices. Malicious links can be embedded into posts that appear innocent and uploaded to many social media sites. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and even LinkedIn have been known to host these types of posts. The links within these posts redirect users to phishing sites that ask for sensitive credentials.

Phishing posts may appear as ads, giveaways, or contests that seem too good to be true. When clicked on, they take users to phishing sites that look real, but are simply fronts for stealing data. Be wary of any post that urgently encourages you to click on a link, especially if it involves a purchase or giving out personal information like an address.

If you’re worried about hackers gaining sensitive information through mobile attacks, contact us about network security at info@optfinity.com.

In recent years, end-to-end encryption has risen in popularity as cybersecurity concerns have become more prevalent in popular culture.

End to end encryption makes it very difficult for anyone to be able to see messages and platforms like Google, Facebook, and Twitter have taken to implementing this encryption method for the safety of their users- a beneficial feature for users, but very frustrating for governments trying to spy on terrorists and criminals.

Enter Pegasus: A Surveillance Solution by NSO Group

It recently came to light  that the Israeli tech firm NSO created a software called Pegasus to alleviate this issue for governments and other entities, although the firm doesn’t disclose which entities have purchased it.

The software can stealthily infiltrate a smartphone and gain access to everything on it, including the camera and mic. Gaining access to devices running on Blackberry, iOS, Android, and Symbian operating systems allows governments to turn them into surveillance devices.

Are You at Risk? Protecting Your Device Against Spyware

One of the most popular ways it does this is through spearfishing, in which accepting an unsuspecting call on WhatsApp gives the software unbridled access to the device’s capabilities. Recently, we have learned that the software now is a zero-click exploit, in which the software can simply call a user’s WhatsApp number, delete the call, and gain access to a smartphone without the user ever knowing anything suspicious occurred.

Additionally, the spyware can infiltrate devices through sending messages that contain gifs. A user doesn’t even need to open the message; once it’s received, the phone is compromised.  Are you safe?

If you’re wary of falling victim to spyware or malware, you can reach out to us at info@optfinity.com

Hackers Exploit Poly Network, Stealing Over $600 Million

Hackers recently breached Poly Network, a cryptocurrency platform, and stole over $600 million in digital assets. This incident marks the largest crypto hack to date. However, the attack did not compromise blockchain technology itself. Instead, hackers exploited a vulnerability in Poly Network’s system, allowing them to take ownership of funds processed through the platform.

Poly Network reported that attackers stole $611 million in digital tokens. In a surprising twist, a significant portion of the stolen assets ended up in the hands of nonprofits and charities, resembling a modern-day Robin Hood scenario.

Rising Threats to Cryptocurrency Platforms

As Bitcoin, Ethereum, and other cryptocurrencies gain popularity, hackers continue to target crypto firms. Past incidents highlight this growing risk. In 2019, attackers stole $195 million from the Italian exchange BitGrail. The year before, hackers breached Tokyo-based Coincheck, making off with $530 million in digital tokens.

Protect Your Digital Assets

Cyber threats against cryptocurrency platforms are increasing. If you want to safeguard your accounts and assets, contact us for virus protection at info@optfinity.com.

The Rise of Cyber Threats in a Remote Work Era

Since the coronavirus pandemic began, remote work has become a major part of the new normal. Cybercriminals have taken advantage of this shift, launching an increasing number of attacks. Large-scale cyberattacks have disrupted critical infrastructure, making systems unusable. Incidents like the SolarWinds hack, JBS hack, and Colonial Pipeline hack have highlighted the urgent need for stronger cybersecurity measures. Governments and organizations now recognize the necessity of increased investment and research in cybersecurity.

New Cybersecurity Funding from the Senate

To prevent recurring cyber incidents, the Senate recently approved $1.9 billion in cybersecurity infrastructure bills. This funding is part of a $1 trillion infrastructure package passed on August 10th. The allocation aims to secure critical infrastructure, assist vulnerable organizations in strengthening their defenses, support a key federal cyber office, and enhance cybersecurity for state and local governments.

State and Local Cybersecurity Improvement Act

One of the most significant bills, the State and Local Cybersecurity Improvement Act, allocates $1 billion to government entities over four years. A quarter of this funding specifically supports vulnerable rural communities. This act is crucial, as cyberattacks on school systems or electrical grids could jeopardize essential services. Many state and local governments lack the resources to defend against these threats, making this funding a necessary safeguard.

Protect Your Organization from Cyber Threats

If you have fallen victim to recent cyberattacks, we can help. Contact us for malware protection and data recovery at info@optfinity.com.

Corporate websites have become a must-have for modern organizations.  Corporations, non-profits, and even government bodies maintain websites in order to reach consumers, host information, and provide a means of contact. There are even professionals dedicated to creating content, improving how high a website appears in searches, and maintaining website functionality.

Impact of Website Outages

When a website goes down unexpectedly, it can lead to lost revenue for companies and lost donations for non-profits.  For government entities, there isn’t a risk of lost revenue–rather, it removes what could be an important source of information for website visitors.

It can also create a sense of panic when an institution has an unexplained outage.

So, what happens when an incredible number of websites for a variety of important organizations all go down simultaneously?

Widespread Outage Recap

Early this morning, websites from entities including government websites for the White House and Gov.uk, social media platform Reddit, and news websites including ones for the New York Times, Forbes, and the BBC were down due to a widespread outage apparently linked to the popular content-delivery network Fastly.

Fastly, a content-delivery network made newly popular by the pandemic-driven boom for many of its technology-focused clients, has not yet elaborated on what exactly happened to cause the outage, only that it has been resolved.

Larger companies with in-house content delivery systems, such as Netflix and Facebook, were unaffected.

What happens next?

As of now, there’s no indication that a digital threat actor was involved. That makes it a teaching moment for the small companies that rely on other services, whether it’s a content-delivery network like Fastly or a hosting site like WordPress, in order to do business.

While these services are incredibly useful for small-business owners looking to save money, they can also fail unexpectedly, leaving you without much recourse.  Whether it’s a hacker or a system failure that results in your downtime, it’s important to have a backup plan. 

If you’re interested in creating one, reach out to us at info@optfinITy.com to learn more.

Microsoft recently announced that the Windows Print Spooler service could be exploited by hackers- a flaw now known as PrintNightmare.

While you may not think having your printer hacked is a major concern, this vulnerability could allow hackers to remotely access one’s PC including allowing hackers to delete data, install programs, or create new user accounts with full user rights. This critical flaw could affect both Windows 10 and Windows 7 users.

Unfortunately for Windows users, this is only one of a slew of security issues the tech company has experienced within the past year.

In 2020, the National Security Agency warned the company that their windows operating system contained a major flaw that could allow hackers to impersonate legitimate software companies. Additionally, earlier this year hundreds of thousands of Exchange users were targeted after multiple vulnerabilities in its software allowed hackers access to its servers.

Though Windows has since released an update to remedy the Print Spooler flaw, the security patch itself comes with its own issue.

Some users who installed the update discovered that the connection to their printer stopped working. An update to remedy this error will soon be released, according to Microsoft.

Is your system in need of security updates or patching? Have you experienced a breach? If so, reach out to us at info@optfinity.com for more information. Current OptfinITy users will have this patch installed as part of our standard monitoring and maintenance program.