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TWIC: Barracuda Alert, Fortinet Patch, and VMware ESXi Exploit

In this week’s edition of TWIC (This Week in Cybersecurity), we delve into the most significant stories and developments in the cybersecurity landscape. This week, we’re focusing on three major incidents involving Barracuda, Fortinet, and VMware ESXi.

Barracuda Urges Immediate Replacement of Vulnerable Appliances
Barracuda Networks, a leading provider of cloud-enabled security solutions, has issued an urgent call to its customers to replace vulnerable email security gateway (ESG) appliances immediately. This follows the disclosure of a critical security flaw, which has been exploited since October 2022. The vulnerability existed in a module which initially screens the attachments of incoming emails. Despite a patch being issued last month, Barracuda recommends replacing the compromised appliances as the safest course of action. Three different malware strains have been discovered to date on a subset of appliances allowing for persistent backdoor access, and evidence of data exfiltration was identified on a subset of impacted appliances.

Fortinet’s Patched Critical Flaw May Have Been Exploited
Fortinet recently patched a critical flaw in its FortiOS SSL VPN. However, there are indications that this vulnerability may have already been exploited in attacks impacting various sectors, including government and manufacturing. The heap-based buffer overflow, pre-authentication vulnerability affects FortiOS and FortiProxy SSL-VPN and can allow unauthenticated attackers to gain remote code execution (RCE) via maliciously crafted requests. Fortinet found the flaw in an audit of its SSL-VPN platform after the rampant exploitation of another vulnerability, CVE-2022-42475 — which upon discovery was a zero-day bug — in January.

Chinese Cyberspies Caught Exploiting VMware ESXi Zero-Day
A Chinese cyberespionage group, known as UNC3886, has been observed exploiting a zero-day vulnerability in VMware ESXi to escalate privileges on guest virtual machines. The group has been using malicious vSphere Installation Bundles (VIBs) to install backdoors on ESXi hypervisors and gain command execution, file manipulation, and reverse shell capabilities since September 2022. The group’s malicious actions would impact VMware ESXi hosts, vCenter servers, and Windows virtual machines (VM). The cyberspies also used installation scripts to deploy malicious VIBs to hosts, and exploited CVE-2023-20867 to execute commands and transfer files from the compromised ESXi host to and from guest VMs, without authentication and without a trace.

Conclusion
The cybersecurity landscape is constantly evolving, with new threats and vulnerabilities emerging on a regular basis. These incidents involving Barracuda, Fortinet, and VMware ESXi underscore the importance of maintaining robust security measures and staying abreast of the latest developments.

At nGuard, we offer a range of services designed to help businesses navigate these challenges. Our Cyber Security Incident Response service is equipped to provide immediate assistance in the face of potential security incidents, helping to manage and mitigate risks effectively. Our Vulnerability Management service is designed to identify and manage vulnerabilities in your systems, ensuring that your network remains secure against a variety of threats. Furthermore, our Managed Event Collection service provides continuous monitoring and detection capabilities, enabling swift identification and response to malicious activities in your network.

Remember, in the realm of cybersecurity, staying informed and taking proactive measures is key. At nGuard, we’re committed to helping you navigate the ever-evolving cybersecurity landscape. Contact us today to learn more about how we can assist you in securing your organization.

Attacking FortiNAC Devices: Experts Advise Updating

A serious vulnerability in Fortinet’s FortiNAC network access control suite (CVE-2022-39952) is now being exploited by hackers to add a cron job that starts a reverse shell on vulnerable systems as the root user. This unauthenticated file path modification vulnerability poses a major security risk for enterprises using the FortiNAC solution because it may be used to execute commands remotely.

Fortinet has already released security upgrades to remedy the issue, and has recommended that users update susceptible appliances to the most recent versions. As the corporation hasn’t offered any mitigation advice or workarounds, updating is the only option to prevent attacks. Researchers from cybersecurity firms, including Shadowserver Foundation, GreyNoise, and CronUp, have recently observed attacks on CVE-2022-39952 from a variety of IP addresses. This indicates that attackers have already started focusing on unpatched FortiNAC devices.

Horizon3 security researchers have created proof-of-concept (PoC) exploit code which allows hackers to add a cron task that starts a reverse shell on vulnerable systems. Fortinet had previously issued a warning in December 2022 to customers to patch FortiOS SSL-VPN appliances against an actively exploited security flaw (CVE-2022-42475), which was also used as a zero-day in attacks against targets associated with the government.

In reaction to what it called “sensationalized claims” about recent exploitation attempts aimed at a vulnerability in its FortiNAC network access control product, Fortinet has offered some crucial clarifications. The company emphasized that it is yet unclear how exploiting CVE-2022-39952 will actually affect users. However, FortiNAC users should be aware of the possible hazard, as knowledgeable threat actors have been known to attack Fortinet products.

FortiNAC administrators are highly advised to update their software right away to a version of the software that is not impacted by the CVE-2022-39952 vulnerability. This includes FortiNAC versions 9.4.1 or later, 9.2.6 or later, 9.1.8 or newer, and 7.2.0 or later. Organizations may stop hackers from using this important vulnerability to gain access to their corporate networks by heeding this advice.

At nGuard, we understand the importance of proactive security measures to protect our clients from the evolving threat landscape. That’s why we offer a range of security services designed to help detect vulnerabilities like the FortiNAC vulnerability, including internal penetration testing, vulnerability management, and strategic security assessments. Our team of experts can work with clients to develop and implement policies and procedures to ensure they can quickly identify and address security threats, and stay up-to-date on emerging vulnerabilities through our security advisories. By partnering with nGuard, clients can rest assured that they have access to the latest security technologies and expertise to help them stay one step ahead of the threats.

Are You Prepared for the New Cyber Insurance Requirements?

As cyberattacks increase worldwide, insurance companies are tightening their cyber insurance policy requirements. This is due to the 80% rise in ransomware attacks last year, leading to a large number of claims. Among the new provisions are the requirement for multi-factor authentication (MFA) for all admin access and the protection of all privileged accounts. However, identifying gaps in MFA and privileged account protection within a network can be challenging for organizations. In addition to MFA, there are several other requirements that stipulate detailed attestation when filling out a cyber policy questionnaire. A few of those requirements are:

Security Awareness Training and Testing
This process is designed to educate employees on cyber security threats and risks, and to test their understanding of these issues through interactive simulations and assessments. The goal is to raise awareness, increase knowledge, and promote safe online behavior within an organization. To reduce your risk of phishing attacks, nGuard has been conducting Security Awareness Training and phishing testing though our Social Engineering Assessment for years.
Vulnerability Management
A thorough vulnerability management program will identify, assess, and prioritize vulnerabilities in an organization’s systems and networks, and take action to remediate or mitigate these risks to prevent exploitation. This helps maintain the security and integrity of systems and data by staying on top of vulnerabilities as they are discovered. Conducting monthly or quarterly vulnerability scans on an ongoing basis will not only help meet insurance requirements but also keep your network secure. nGuard’s Vulnerability Management can help you manage your external environment, internal environment, and meet PCI requirements with ASV scanning.
24/7/365 Monitoring
A Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) system collects and aggregates log data from various sources within an organization and uses analytics and threat detection techniques to identify potential security incidents and enable security teams to respond promptly. SIEM provides centralized security visibility and event correlation. nGuard’s managed security team performs both manual and automated daily log analysis that proactively detects suspicious activity in your environment with our managed SIEM service called Managed Event Collection & Correlation. nGuard is adding artificial intelligence and machine learning to detect and respond to security threats in real-time via UEBA (User and Entity Behavior Analytics).
Secured, Encrypted, Offsite Backups
Offsite backups refer to the storage of backup data at a remote location, typically in a secure data center, separate from the primary data storage. This helps ensure that the data can be recovered in case of a disaster or cyberattack and protected against data loss while minimizing downtime. Offsite backups are an important component of a comprehensive disaster recovery plan. A Strategic Security Assessment utilizing the Center for Internet Security (CIS) 18 Critical Security Controls as the foundation can help bring the lack of controls like this and others to light.
Endpoint Detection & Response (EDR)
This real-time security solution will monitor and respond to security threats on endpoint devices such as computers and servers using artificial intelligence and machine learning to detect and isolate security incidents.

As insurance carriers adjust the requirements to obtain and maintain coverage, a thorough assessment can help organizations identify and close security gaps to help meet the new cyber insurance requirements and improve their overall security posture. nGuard has a number of solutions that can help meet and exceed the requirements needed to obtain and maintain cyber insurance.

TWiC | ChatGPT, New CISA and NSA Advisory, Microsoft Blocking Add-ins, New Malware Using Google Ads

The nGuard Security Advisory for this week covers several important topics related to cyber security threats. The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and the National Security Agency (NSA) have issued warnings that remote desktop tools are being used to breach US federal agencies; ChaptGPT being used to create malicious output; Microsoft is set to block Excel add-ins that have been used for office exploits; and a new malware called “Rhadamanthys” has been discovered that uses Google Ads to redirect users to fake software downloads.

CISA & NSA Warn Remote Desktop Tools Are Being Used to Breach US Federal Agencies

The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and the National Security Agency (NSA) have issued a joint advisory warning that financially motivated hackers have compromised federal agencies using legitimate remote desktop software. The hackers used phishing emails to lure victims to a malicious site that impersonated high-profile companies, including Microsoft and Amazon, and prompted the victims to call the hackers who then tricked employees into visiting the malicious domain. This led to the download of legitimate remote access software which the hackers then used in a refund scam to steal money from victims’ bank accounts. CISA also warned that the attackers could use legitimate remote access software as a backdoor for maintaining persistent access to government networks.

nGuard often can obtain remote access to victim’s computers using legitimate remote access tools like TeamViewer. nGuard’s Social Engineering assessment could help prevent these types of attacks by testing an organization’s resistance to phishing and other types of social engineering tactics.

ChaptGPT Malicious Prompt Engineering

OpenAI’s ChatGPT, a large-scale AI-based natural language generator, was released in late 2022 and has demonstrated the potential of AI for both good and bad. ChatGPT is a chatbot that is built on top of OpenAI’s GPT-3 family of large language models. It is designed to respond to prompts with accurate and unbiased answers. However, the concept of ‘prompt engineering’ has been used to manipulate the system and force it to respond in a specific manner desired by the user. This has led to the malicious potential of social engineering. A Finnish security firm recently published an extensive and serious evaluation of prompt engineering against ChatGPT, focusing on the generation of phishing, various types of fraud, and misinformation. They found they were able to quickly create convincing phishing emails that were well written and free of typos and grammatical errors. They also were able to create writing styles to match a given input which could lead to ‘deep fakes’ impersonating someone’s writing style. Last, they were able to make requests that forced ChatGPT to transfer their opinion within the response. The idea of prompt engineering is something still not fully understood but certainly has shown the power of a tool like ChatGPT can have.

nGuard’s MECC (Managed Event Collection and Correlation) can help protect against malicious ChatGPT attacks by collecting and analyzing log data from various sources, including chatbot interactions. MECC can then alert security teams to potential threats and provide them with the information they need to investigate and respond to the attack. Additionally, nGuard is adding UEBA (User and Entity Behavior Analytics) to its MECC solution. UEBA leverages AI and Machine Learning to help protect against malicious ChatGPT attacks by analyzing user behavior and identifying anomalies that may indicate a security incident. This can include detecting when a user or bot is attempting to access sensitive information or perform unauthorized actions. UEBA can then alert security teams to potential threats and provide them with the information they need to investigate and respond to the attack. Additionally, UEBA can also help to detect compromised user account and bot impersonation.

Microsoft Set to Block Excel Add-in Used for Office Exploits

Microsoft is set to block XLL files from the internet in a bid to prevent cyber attackers from exploiting the “add-ins” function of Excel to run malicious code on a victim’s computer. An XLL file is an Excel Dynamic Link Library, a type of Microsoft Excel add-in used to extend the functionality of the spreadsheet software. XLL files contain custom functions and macros written in C or C++, and can be used to perform tasks that are not possible with the built-in Excel functions. The feature, set to be released in March, is a response to an increasing use of XLL files by attackers which offer a way to read and write data within spreadsheets, add custom functions and interact with Excel objects across platforms. However, experts have said that the feature may not be effective if users ignore the warning that XLL files could contain malicious code, and attackers are likely to continue to find new ways to compromise systems.

nGuard’s Security Awareness Training services can help with this threat by educating employees on how to identify and avoid phishing attempts, both in the form of emails and websites. The training can cover topics such as how to spot suspicious emails, what to look for in a legitimate and illegitimate website, and how to recognize the signs of a phishing attempt.

Rhadamanthys Malware Using Google Ads to Redirect to Fake Software Downloads

A new malware strain called “Rhadamanthys Stealer” is being spread by redirects from Google Ads that pretend to be download sites for popular remote-workforce software, such as Zoom and AnyDesk. The malware is sold on the dark web as malware-as-a-service and is spread through two methods: carefully crafted phishing sites, and phishing emails with malicious attachments. The malware can steal sensitive data such as browser history and account login credentials, including crypto-wallet information. It is also able to detect if it is running in a controlled environment and will terminate its execution if so. As mentioned earlier in this Advisory, nGuard’s Social Engineering assessment and Security Awareness training can prepare your organization and employees for these types of attacks. Help your organization stay vigilant against the latest attack vectors and keeping up to date by assessing your employees and organization on an annual basis at a minimum.

NIST’s Retirement of SHA-1: The Clock is Ticking

Introduction
The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has announced that the SHA-1 algorithm, one of the first widely used methods of protecting electronic information, has reached the end of its useful life. This algorithm, which has been in use since 1995 as part of the Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS) 180-1, is a slightly modified version of SHA, the first hash function the federal government standardized for widespread use in 1993. As today’s increasingly powerful computers are able to attack the algorithm, NIST has announced that SHA-1 should be phased out by December 31, 2030, in favor of the more secure SHA-2 and SHA-3 groups of algorithms.

Importance of SHA-1
SHA-1, whose initials stand for “secure hash algorithm,” has served as a building block for many security applications such as validating websites, SSL certificates and digital signatures. It secures information by performing a complex mathematical operation on the characters of a message, producing a short string of characters known as a hash. It is impossible to reconstruct the original message from the hash alone, but knowing the hash provides an easy way for a recipient to check whether the original message has been compromised, as even a slight change to the message alters the resulting hash dramatically. However, today’s more powerful computers can create fraudulent messages that result in the same hash as the original, potentially compromising the authentic message. These “collision” attacks have been used to undermine the security of SHA-1 in recent years.

Recommendations
At nGuard, we recommend that organizations still using SHA-1 for security conduct a thorough network and database assessment to identify and address vulnerabilities. Our team of experts can assist with this transition by identifying any instances of SHA-1 usage and recommend a migration plan. Additionally, our web application testing can also lead to the discovery of data hashed with SHA-1, further highlighting the need for an upgrade.

Conclusion
In conclusion, SHA-1 has reached the end of its life, and organizations should consider migrating to the more secure SHA-2 or SHA-3 algorithms as soon as possible. It is important to note that NIST will stop using SHA-1 in its last remaining specified protocols by Dec. 31, 2030. And by that date, NIST plans to:

Publish FIPS 180-5 (a revision of FIPS 180) to remove the SHA-1 specification.
Revise SP 800-131A and other affected NIST publications to reflect the planned withdrawal of SHA-1.
Create and publish a transition strategy for validating cryptographic modules and algorithms.

As a result, modules that still use SHA-1 after 2030 will not be permitted for purchase by the federal government. Companies have eight years to submit updated modules that no longer use SHA-1. Because there is often a backlog of submissions before a deadline, we recommend that developers submit their updated modules well in advance, so that The Cryptographic Module Validation Program (CMVP) has time to respond.

TWiC | Hackers Keep up the Pressure Over the Holidays

Over the past few weeks, we have seen some interesting stories develop in the world of cyber security. It seems that attackers are not slowing down for the holiday season, with LastPass revealing yet another security breach, Killnet boasting of a DDoS attack targeting Musk’s Starlink services and the U.S. banning Chinese telecom companies. nGuard examines these new developments in this week’s security advisory.

Killnet Gloats About DDoS Attacks Downing Starlink, White House
Starlink services were disrupted last week, and it may have been caused by a hacking organization called Killnet. The group is notorious for making all of its communications public on Telegram. After digging into the reports of a massive DDoS attack, Trustwave discovered that many Starlink customers complained about service disruptions on Reddit. Other groups like Anonymous and Halva have also claimed responsibility for participating in the DDoS attack, although Killnet appears to be the main culprit here.

LastPass Reveals Another Security Breach
According to the CEO of LastPass, the popular password manager has been breached again. This company investigated unusual activity involving a third-party cloud storage service that it uses with its parent company, GoTo. A hacker was able to access some of the password managers’ source code using information obtained from a previous security breach. It is highly likely that the attacker was limited to the development environment but they had access to “certain elements” of customer information. The company maintains that no password information was divulged because it remains encrypted.

U.S. Banned Chinese Telecom & Surveillance Cameras That Pose National Security Threat
The U.S. has placed multiple Chinese-based firms on a ban list after they were identified as national security threats. The U.S. has decided to ban the import and sale of equipment from Huawei, ZTE, Hytera Communications, Hikvision, Dahua, Pacific Network Corp, along with its subsidiary ComNet (USA) LLC, and China Unicom (Americas) Operations Limited. FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel said, “The FCC is committed to protecting our national security by ensuring that untrustworthy communications equipment is not authorized for use within our borders, and we are continuing that work here.”

In order to access sensitive data and disrupt important services, attackers constantly work behind the scenes to discover and exploit flaws in software. A high priority should be given to protecting your organization from malicious actors at all times. Continual penetration testing and vulnerability management can help you close security holes in your environment. Your employees can stay on top of their game by receiving security awareness training and participating in social engineering simulations. With nGuard, you can enhance your organization’s security posture and prevent data breaches.