Cyber Bites

HP Device Manager is a popular software that allows IT administrators to manage their HP Thin Client devices. However, it has a backdoor database user account which can undermine the network security. Founder of Cognitous Cyber Security, Nick Bloor, discovered that an insecure user account had been set-up by an HP Inc programmer in a database within HP Device Manager. He found that the account can be easily exploited by malicious users to achieve privilege...

One of the U.S.'s largest hospital chains, Universal Health Services Inc., experienced a malicious software attack which resulted in their computer systems being taken offline, crippling their computers and leading to cancelled surgeries and diverted ambulances. Unfortunately, it was reported that this attack resulted in four deaths after patients had to be redirected to different hospitals. In order to stop further spread of the malware attack, Universal Health Services took down the systems used for...

Popular flight tracking website, Flightrader24 has suffered sufficient attacks leaving it unavailable for its users whilst the problem is being fixed. There is no update on when their services will fully resume. Flightrader24 offers detailed tracking on thousands of commercial and private jets all over the world. The website gives information on the model, age and speed as well as detailing if the plane has given out any distress signals, making it a key source...

Yesterday French shipping company CMA CGM was hit by a ransomware attack which impacted peripheral servers. This recent attack now means that all four of the biggest maritime shipping companies have experienced cyberattacks in the last four years, since 2017. On Monday CMA CGM was hit by the Ragnar Locker ransomware, which resulted in them taking down their worldwide shipping container booking system of it's Chinese branches in Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen. As soon as...

In the last week, Google has removed 17 apps from the Play Store that have been detected as being infected with the 'Joker' malware. This breach was spotted by security researchers from Zscaler, have said this type of malware gains access to the user's messages, contacts and other personal information as well as signing the user up to wireless application protocol without their knowledge. Although the apps had only been added to the Play Store...

The Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN), a department within the Treasury has released a set of files outlining how some of the biggest banks in the world are moving trillions of dollars in transactions for presumed terrorists and drug cartels. However, FinCEN has no authority to stop such money laundering and the US government has yet to do anything either. BuzzFeedNews has written a tell-all piece, giving the names of some of the banks involved,...

A report published by Mimecast has discovered a new type of phishing email scam targeting people's political opinions, particularly as the US election closes in. Cybercriminals have begun impersonating political organisations, mimicking their domains, slogans, and even getting people to donate to fake organisations. Mimecast researchers have discovered new website registrations under the name 'Donald Trump' but changing one letter. For example, one website was found using this name but the 'n' was changed to...

A global report by Bitdefender recently found that seven out of ten CISOs (71%) fear that cyberwarfare is an impending threat to their organisation, while more than a fifth (22%) of these CISOs confess to not having a plan in place to defend against such risks. These findings are incredibly alarming, especially after the recent global disruptions. Half of the infosecurity professionals involved in the study agreed that an increase in cyberwarfare will have a...

Facebook has removed three networks of fake accounts, suspected to be linked to Russian intelligence organisation leaking documents in the effort to meddle in the US election. Facebook has said the accounts were suspended for using fake identities as well as beaching other inauthentic behaviours. These accounts have been linked to Russian intelligence organisation in St. Petersburg that has previously been accused of interfering in the 2016 US election. According to Facebook's head of cybersecurity...

On Tuesday the UAE Head of NCSC Muhammad Al-Kuwaiti reported that the intel that Israel are sharing has helped to deter and amend any hacking attempts. For the first time the Israeli and UAE cyber chiefs, al-Kuwaiti and Israel National Cyber Directorate (INCD) Chief Yigal Unna, appeared at a virtual conference at Tel Aviv University. In response to a question about the effect of the Israeli-UAE cyber cooperation as a result of the normalization deals,...