FFT news digest — 30 June 2023
FFT news digest — 30 June 2023
Discord
In the aftermath of last weekend’s unpleasantness in Russia, hackers have targeted Dozor, a satellite provider used by power companies, the Russian military and the Federal Security Service (FSB). Information published by a hacking group suggests the restoration of the core network could take weeks, while reprogramming user equipment and fully restoring the service might take months. Simultaneously, a message posted to a number of defaced websites showed the insignia of the Wagner private military group, together with a message about its mutiny last weekend. “We agreed to a peaceful solution because we achieved the main thing — we showed our capabilities and full social approval of our actions,” it said. Wagner is believed to have extensive cyber capabilities, including a substantial disinformation operation. Last November, Wagner’s leader, Yevgeny Prigozhin, said he had interfered in US elections and would continue to do so. Given Russia’s history of using compromising material (‘kompromat’) to suborn and undermine its opponents, it would be remarkable if this was not also part of Wagner’s arsenal. It might also help to explain why Prigozhin has been able to behave much as he pleases.
Threats
Law : The UK’s National Cyber Security Centre says law firms “of all sizes and types” are being targeted by criminals and nation state spies. A report warns that hybrid working has increased the risk for the legal sector. The NCSC’s report has good advice about how to secure the post-pandemic approach to working, not just for lawyers, but for all of us. Mac : A reminder that Macs are very much not immune to malicious software. Intego has details of a nasty tool dubbed JokerSpy. Its report aims to persuade us of the need to use antivirus tools on Mac devices. It’s a sales pitch - but in this case we agree with them. QR codes : Regular readers will know we have an aversion to QR codes. This week, Cofense reports on how they’re being used to deliver phishing pages to mobile devices. Banking : Booby-trapped Android apps are targeting online banking customers in the US, the UK, Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. They’re disguised as PDF and QR code scanners, Adobe Illustrator apps, and fitness trackers. ThreatFabric PDF : Research reveals the widespread use of PDF files as the vehicle with which to attack users. In June, CheckPoint found 43% of all malicious files were PDFs. Again, their report is part of a sales pitch but the warning is on the money. Medical : And finally, a threat to physical not online health. People in the UK are increasingly using healthcare apps - and following their advice - rather than consulting a medical professional. ORCHA vis Computer Weekly
AI
Criminals : There’s more evidence that criminals are taking advantage of the capabilities of generative AI to improve the quality of their phishing lures. But Egress says some of the improvements pre-date the arrival of ChatGPT et al, and cybersecurity defences have been evolving to defend against them. Bait : Also on a positive note, university researchers in Australia have created a multi-lingual chatbot designed to engage scammers in long phone conversations. TechXplore Spam : “Parasitical” AI is swamping the web with spam sites, low quality “junk” which is drowning out genuinely new content. The Verge examines this phenomenon and its effect on discussion forums and news providers. Convincing : AI-generated tweets might be more convincing that those created by real people, according to a report from Zurich University. Sued : A class action lawsuit in the US is seeking $3 billion in damages from OpenAI and Microsoft. It claims they stole “vast amounts of private information” from internet users without consent in order to train ChatGPT. Motherboard Meta : A detailed report from Meta explains how AI influences what users see on Facebook and Instagram. In other words, how viewing history is used to select what is displayed next.
In brief
Submarine : Much of the way the world works today depends on the connectivity provided by undersea cables, and rising geopolitical tensions are increasing the risk that they could be damaged or destroyed. Recorded Future singles out the Russia-Ukraine war and strained relations with China as particular threats while also pointing to the risk from criminal gangs. Cars : Wired explains how car manufacturers can - and do - collect reams of data about the owners of their vehicles. “Cars can track where you’re traveling to and from, record every press on the accelerator as well as your seatbelt settings, and gather biometric information about you,” it says. Click : One in three employees in the UK and Ireland are likely to click on a phishing link, according to a report from KnowBe4 . eBay : SAP is one of the world’s largest technology companies, so it’s depressing to hear that a storage disk missing from one of its data centres turned up for sale on eBay. The disk, which contained personnel data, had been stolen - though an investigation found human error contributed to the theft. The Register Voice : Researchers have found a way to bypass voice authentication with a success rate of up to 99% after six attempts. IEEE Stalkerware : The manufacturer of the Android ‘LetMeSpy’ app has told users that their personal information and collected data has been stolen in a cyberattack. LetMeSpy is just the latest of such tools to be breached. Like its peers, it’s marketed as a parental tool but is designed to spy on people without their knowledge. Security Week Grave robbers : After repeated thefts from an uncle’s gravesite, a family in Texas used a hidden AirTag to nab the robbers. It turned out the scumbags had stolen $62,000 worth of memorial vases. Click2Houston