Digital Shadows

JANUARY 14, 2025

To gain access to internal networks, Akira targeted local accounts with disabled multifactor authentication (MFA) and SonicOS firmware versions vulnerable to exploitation, often exposed to the internet for virtual private network (VPN) access. Similar groups like REvil and DarkSide have also rebounded after law enforcement crackdowns.

Ransomware 126

Ransomware Social Engineering Phishing VPN 126

CyberSecurity Insiders

DECEMBER 6, 2022

Accordingly, organizations should expect an increase in phishing campaigns. To address this threat, organizations of all sizes while conducting a risk assessment need to take into account the vulnerabilities of all third-party software or firmware. Understaffing will increase the role of channel partners.

Cybersecurity 116

Cybersecurity Cybercrime Social Engineering Risk 116

Security Affairs

DECEMBER 17, 2023

CISA and ENISA enhance their Cooperation CISA adds Qlik bugs to exploited vulnerabilities catalog Report: 2.6

Data breaches 121

Data breaches Cybercrime Firewall Ransomware 121

SecureList

JULY 28, 2022

In late 2021, we encountered a malicious DXE driver incorporated into several UEFI firmware images that were flagged by our firmware scanner (integrated into Kaspersky products at the start of 2019). Based on our telemetry, the actor initiated the attack by sending a spear-phishing email containing a macro-embedded Word document.

Malware 145

Malware Firmware Phishing Cryptocurrency 145

CyberSecurity Insiders

NOVEMBER 1, 2022

These ignored, forgotten, and un-updated (OS/firmware) connected devices can become vulnerabilities exploited by cybercriminals to gain access to networks and cloud resources. The post The State of Endpoint Security Management in 2022: It’s Worse Than You Suspect appeared first on Cybersecurity Insiders.

IoT 120

IoT Antivirus Threat Detection Cyber threats 120

eSecurity Planet

NOVEMBER 18, 2021

Most operations use payloads, but there are a few payload-less attacks, such as phishing campaigns that do not include malicious links or malware , but rely on more sophisticated deception such as spoofing to trick their targets. Such hackers don’t bother with social engineering or complex scenarios that only give a low success rate.

Penetration Testing 134

Penetration Testing Social Engineering Software Wireless 134

eSecurity Planet

FEBRUARY 22, 2022

Most attacks make would-be victims click to install malware or redirect them to a phishing page to steal their credentials. There is no need for social engineering , as the program can implant backdoors directly without forced consent. Zero-click attacks remove this hurdle.

Spyware 125

Spyware Software Government Social Engineering 125

eSecurity Planet

MAY 28, 2021

From BIOS and firmware to UEFI code, VBOS is an attack vector that requires more attention. While the design of a unified extensible firmware interface (UEFI) overcame BIOS limitations, both components critical to computer operation are an increasing target. Current Target: VBOS. Malicious Cloud Applications.

Software 119

Software DNS Firmware VPN 119

Malwarebytes

MAY 18, 2023

Usually, this involves some crafty social engineering, like spear phishing or setting up a watering hole to deliver custom malware. This could be anything from figuring out whether there's sensitive data or information worth stealing to making a hit list of employees or ex-employees. Step 2 : Infiltration.

Social Engineering 81

Social Engineering Phishing Malware Software 81

eSecurity Planet

MARCH 23, 2022

APTs will contain a cyberattack component, but APTs also commonly include confidence schemes, social engineering , physical access to facilities , bribes, extortion, and other methods to gain system access. Phishing & Watering Holes. The primary attack vector for most attacks, not just APTs, is to use phishing.

Firewall 109

Firewall Malware Phishing Software 109

eSecurity Planet

DECEMBER 10, 2023

Automate Patches and Updates Ensure strong network security by automating regular updates of firewall firmware and installing security patches as soon as they become available. Employees’ capacity to spot risks is assessed on a regular basis through simulated phishing exercises, which provide constructive feedback.

Firewall 120

Firewall Network Security Backups Education 120

SecureList

NOVEMBER 25, 2024

Verdict: prediction not fulfilled ❌ Spear-phishing to expand with accessible generative AI Ever since the emergence of generative AI, multiple threat actors – both financially motivated and state-sponsored – have started using this technology to make their attacks more effective.

IoT 118

IoT Energy and Utilities Phishing Cryptocurrency 118

SecureList

NOVEMBER 18, 2022

In July, we reported a rootkit that we found in modified Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI) firmware, the code that loads and initiates the boot process when the computer is turned on. First, the threat actor sends a spear-phishing email to the potential victim with a lure to download additional documents.

Malware 121

Malware Computers and Electronics Adware Cryptocurrency 121

Security Boulevard

MAY 2, 2022

Combined with social media propaganda, social engineering targeting, and email phishing attacks, these threat vectors could change the course of the battle well before a single shot is fired. Most firmwares devices focus on the functionality of the component with minimal onboard security protection.

Cyber Attacks 52

Cyber Attacks IoT Firmware Social Engineering 52

SecureList

NOVEMBER 14, 2023

In May, Ars Technica reported that BootGuard private keys had been stolen following a ransomware attack on Micro-Star International (MSI) in March this year (firmware on PCs with Intel chips and BootGuard enabled will only run if it is digitally signed using the appropriate keys).

Hacking 140

Hacking Energy and Utilities Media Malware 140

SecureList

MARCH 1, 2021

In their campaigns to infect mobile devices, cybercriminals always resort to social engineering tools, the most common of these passing a malicious application off as another, popular and desirable one. The manufacturer of the mobile device preloads an adware application or a component with the firmware. Trends of the year.

Mobile 145

Mobile Malware Adware Banking 145

eSecurity Planet

JUNE 23, 2023

For example, a network and firewall penetration testing expert will be unlikely to also have expertise to test web applications for SQL injection , or to understand internet-of-things (IoT) firmware hacking.

Penetration Testing 98

Penetration Testing Social Engineering Risk Data breaches 98

Pen Test Partners

MAY 26, 2025

Our analysis proved theyd been socially engineered using deepfake voice calls and spoofed emails, exonerating the staff member and aiding in Interpols ongoing investigation. Our investigation revealed spyware with call-forwarding and banking credential capture, likely installed via custom firmware on the device.

Banking 59

Banking VPN Ransomware Scams 59

eSecurity Planet

JULY 25, 2023

Phishing attacks: Deceptive techniques, such as fraudulent emails or websites, trick individuals into revealing sensitive information like credit card and payment information, passwords, or login credentials. Social engineering attacks: These involve manipulating individuals to gain unauthorized access to sensitive information or systems.

Software 98

Software Data breaches Ransomware DDOS 98

Digital Shadows

NOVEMBER 10, 2022

The level of sophistication used by attackers to mimic the original domains varied greatly, ranging from low quality, obvious phishing pages to more refined efforts mimicking animations and logos. pro is flagged as a phishing domain by multiple security providers. Among these pages, a notable example was the qatar2022[.]pro

Cyber threats 52

Cyber threats Media Social Engineering Mobile 52

Kali Linux

DECEMBER 8, 2021

. ~/ kali@kali:~$ kali@kali:~$ xfce4-session-logout --reboot --fast Kali NetHunter Updates Thanks to the amazing work of @yesimxev , we have a new addition to the NetHunter app: The Social-Engineer Toolkit! Raspberry Pi images now include versioned Nexmon firmware.

Social Engineering 52

Social Engineering VPN Architecture Engineering 52

eSecurity Planet

MARCH 22, 2023

Asset Discovery Controls Unauthorized devices can intercept or redirect network traffic through attacks such as connecting unauthorized computers to the network, deploying packet sniffers to intercept network traffic, or delivering a phishing link to a man-in-the-middle attack to steal login credentials and data.

Firewall 109

Firewall Network Security Penetration Testing Encryption 109

eSecurity Planet

DECEMBER 7, 2023

Phishing and social engineering are common ways threat actors can obtain a symmetric key, but cryptanalysis and brute force attempts can also break symmetric key ciphers. This feature can be included in firmware, in operating systems, or as a feature in open-source, shareware, or commercial applications.

Encryption 109

Encryption Passwords Authentication Password Management 109

Webroot

OCTOBER 31, 2024

The rise of AI-driven phishing and social engineering, increased targeting of critical infrastructure, and the emergence of more sophisticated fileless malware are all trends that have shaped the cybersecurity battlefield this year.

Malware 117

Malware Ransomware Passwords Healthcare 117

eSecurity Planet

FEBRUARY 16, 2021

Attackers often use botnets to send out spam or phishing campaigns to carry out distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks. Phishing and Social Engineering. More targeted efforts at specific users or organizations are known as spear phishing. How to Defend Against Phishing. Phishing Type.

Malware 105

Malware Adware Spyware Antivirus 105

SecureList

APRIL 27, 2022

We found overlaps in the infrastructure used by a tunneling tool used by the actor and several possible phishing websites set up within the above time frame. The attack targets victims with spear-phishing emails containing malicious OOXML files. Other interesting discoveries. Final thoughts.

Malware 145

Malware Firmware Government Phishing 145

Security Through Education

FEBRUARY 3, 2025

Social Engineering The main vector of ransomware attacks is phishing. While theres definitely a technical process involved, the component that makes these attacks so effective is social engineering. Attackers use social engineering to exploit human emotions such as curiosity, greed, or fear.

Healthcare 59

Healthcare Social Engineering Engineering Software 59

Malwarebytes

JULY 13, 2022

In attack methods, ransomware authors—while still favoring good old-fashioned social engineering—have started backing away from phishing emails and leaning toward exploiting server, software, and operating system vulnerabilities instead.

Ransomware 128

Ransomware Manufacturing Government Computers and Electronics 128

eSecurity Planet

OCTOBER 21, 2022

The method of infection can vary from attack to attack and can include social engineering strategies, such as phishing and email spoofing , or a fraudulent website masquerading as legitimate, among others. Firmware rootkits are also known as “hardware rootkits.”. It’s one of the most infectious forms of malware out there.

Malware 75

Malware Adware Spyware Antivirus 75

NopSec

DECEMBER 7, 2016

The attack vectors have broadened past spear phishing and vulnerable software. Compromised USB drives are a common attack vector, and one that requires vigilance in order to avoid a supply chain attack or an attack that exploits social engineering tactics.

Cyber threats 40

Cyber threats Ransomware Cyber Attacks Government 40

Hacker's King

MAY 19, 2025

Common Techniques Phishing : Fake emails and websites trick users into giving away login details. Social Engineering : Manipulating individuals to gain sensitive information. These attacks aim to exploit vulnerabilities in hardware, firmware, or software. The reason?

Cyber Attacks 52

Cyber Attacks Social Engineering Penetration Testing Passwords 52

SecureList

OCTOBER 23, 2024

List of in-the-wild 0-days caught and reported by Kaspersky over the past 10 years Social activity What never ceases to impress us is how much effort Lazarus APT puts into their social engineering campaigns. What makes Lazarus’s attacks particularly dangerous is their frequent use of zero-day exploits.

Engineering 145

Engineering Social Engineering Accountability Cryptocurrency 145