Greetings, As Easter approaches this weekend, many of us eagerly anticipate some well-deserved time off, relishing in chocolate eggs, and cherishing moments with loved ones. However, amidst the joyous festivities, we'd like to gently remind you that our member tokens and early bird registration fees will expire on April 5th for AUSCERT2024! We're thrilled to unveil an engaging program, featuring Darren Kitchen as one of our esteemed keynote speakers. Darren's expertise promises to provide enlightening and invaluable insights for all attendees. Additionally, we're excited to announce that Risky Biz has confirmed a live podcast recording at AUSCERT2024! Be sure to seize the remaining time to secure your member tokens and early bird registration fees before this offer concludes. This week, we released episode 32 of our podcast, titled "Behaviour Change to Reduce Threats." In this thought-provoking discussion, Anthony engages with Jane O’Loughlin from CERT NZ, exploring the critical importance of behaviour modification in mitigating cyber security threats. Jane actively advocates for increased awareness and action in cyber security, striving to make it more accessible and relevant to individuals. Jane explains that despite cyber security’s widespread attention, research still indicates a concerning lack of seriousness among people regarding the issue, with many remaining unaware of the profound consequences of personal cyber attacks. Given the escalating sophistication and severity of threats, it's imperative for everyone to adopt proactive measures. Cyber attackers leverage behavioural science to meticulously craft and target attacks, enhancing their success rates. Therefore, fostering a culture of cybersecurity consciousness and implementing effective behavioural modifications are crucial steps in safeguarding against cyber threats. CERT NZ and The Research Agency have collaborated to produce "Cyber Change" – a book of behaviour change techniques aimed at promoting positive cybersecurity actions. This guide, tailored for government and industry agencies working in online security, shares valuable insights on improving the effectiveness of cyber security interventions. In conclusion, AUSCERT wishes everyone a safe and happy Easter holiday! Our offices will be closed for the Easter long weekend from Friday 29th of March until Monday 1st of April inclusive. During this time auscert@auscert.org.au will not be monitored and no bulletins will be issued. However our analysts will remain on call for the period, if you experience a cyber incident, please log into the member portal for the 24/7 member hotline number. Exploit released for Fortinet RCE bug used in attacks, patch now Date: 2024-03-21 Author: Bleeping Computer [AUSCERT utilised third-party search engines to identify and alert any impacted members] Security researchers have released a proof-of-concept (PoC) exploit for a critical vulnerability in Fortinet's FortiClient Enterprise Management Server (EMS) software, which is now actively exploited in attacks. Tracked as CVE-2023-48788, this security flaw is an SQL injection in the DB2 Administration Server (DAS) component discovered and reported by the UK's National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC). CISA tags Microsoft SharePoint RCE bug as actively exploited Date: 2024-03-27 Author: Bleeping Computer CISA warns that attackers are now exploiting a Microsoft SharePoint code injection vulnerability that can be chained with a critical privilege escalation flaw for pre-auth remote code execution attacks. Tracked as CVE-2023-24955, this SharePoint Server vulnerability enables authenticated attackers with Site Owner privileges to execute code remotely on vulnerable servers. Australia Doubles Down On Cybersecurity After Attacks Date: 2024-03-27 Author: Dark Reading Government proposes more modern and comprehensive cybersecurity regulations for businesses, government, and critical infrastructures providers Down Under. The Australian government is carving out plans to revamp cybersecurity laws and regulations in the wake of a series of damaging high-profile data breaches that rocked the country. Government officials recently released what it called a consultation paper that outlined specific proposals and solicited input from the private sector in a proclaimed strategy to position the nation as a world leader in cybersecurity by 2030. Australian gov backs election system security after "highly likely" UK compromise Date: 2024-03-26 Author: iTnews The federal government has sought to assure Australians that electoral systems are secure after it emerged that UK electoral systems “were highly likely compromised” between 2021 and 2022. The UK government, together with its cyber security agency, attributed “two malicious cyber campaigns targeting democratic institutions and parliamentarians” to China-affiliated threat groups. Ray AI Framework Vulnerability Exploited to Hack Hundreds of Clusters Date: 2024-03-27 Author: SecurityWeek Attackers have been exploiting a missing authentication vulnerability in the Ray AI framework to compromise hundreds of clusters, application security firm Oligo reports. The issue, tracked as CVE-2023-48022 and disclosed in November 2023, exists because, in its default configuration, the open source compute framework for AI does not enforce authentication and does not support any type of authorization model. ESB-2024.1744 – Firefox: CVSS (Max): 8.8 Mozilla has updated Firefox to version 124.0.1 addressing 2 critical vulnerabilities ESB-2024.1805 – Google Chrome: CVSS (Max): None Google has updated Chrome addressing multiple vulnerabilities ESB-2024.1783 – macOS Ventura: CVSS (Max): 5.9 Apple has released an update to a remote code execution vulnerability in macOS Ventura ESB-2024.1842 – Cisco IOS XE Software: CVSS (Max): 8.6 Cisco has released software updates for a denial of service vulnerability in IOS XE Software ESB-2024.1787 – Rockwell Automation Arena Simulation Software: CVSS (Max): 7.8 Rockwell Automation has updated Arena Simulation Software to address multiple vulnerabilities Stay safe, stay patched and have a good weekend! The AusCERT team

Greetings, As AUSCERT2024 approaches, we want to remind all our valued members to make the most of their Member Tokens before they expire on April 5th. Also, Early Bird Registrations are closing on this date too, so if you want to save on costs, register now! This year's program is exceptional, featuring a diverse range of cutting-edge workshops, influential speakers, and exciting activities. Seize this incredible opportunity to learn, network, and engage with industry leaders. Secure your spot today and join us for an unforgettable event! For more information, visit the AUSCERT2024 website. Charities and not-for-profit organisations in Australia are facing an escalating number of cyber threats. In the 2022-23 financial year alone, the Australian Signals Directorate (ASD) received nearly 94,000 cybercrime reports, indicating one report filed approximately every 6 minutes. Recognising this concerning trend, the ASD is urging these entities to enhance their online security measures and stay vigilant. Due to their limited resources, charities and not-for-profit organisations are increasingly vulnerable to malicious attacks. Such incidents can result in substantial costs, including financial losses, data breaches, reputational damage, loss of trust from donors and beneficiaries, and overall harm to the community they serve. Not to fear, AUSCERT is here to help! Our members have access to a team of experts who can provide guidance, support, and assistance when incidents arise! An effective cyber security incident response is essential for maintaining organisational objectives by avoiding or limiting the impact of cyber security incidents. Register for our Incident Response Planning Course to develop the skills needed to write and implement a bespoke incident response plan for your organisation. This course is designed to provide organisations with crucial information and knowledge to execute one of the critical elements of incident response preparation. Our upcoming course is scheduled for 16-17 April from 9am – 12:30pm, with limited places available so register now! Fujitsu found malware on IT systems, confirms data breach Date: 2024-03-18 Author: Bleeping Computer Japanese tech giant Fujitsu discovered that several of its systems were infected by malware and warns that the hackers stole customer data. "We have confirmed the presence of malware on several of our business computers, and as a result of our internal investigation, it has been discovered that files containing personal information and information related to our customers could be illicitly removed," reads a Fujitsu notice. New fact sheet for critical infrastructure leaders – actions to mitigate PRC state-sponsored cyber activity Date: 2024-03-20 Author: ASD Together with our international partners, we have released the PRC State-Sponsored Cyber Activity: Actions for Critical Infrastructure Leaders fact sheet. The fact sheet provides guidance for critical infrastructure leadership to protect their infrastructure and critical functions from Volt Typhoon – a state-sponsored cyber actor linked to the People’s Republic of China (PRC). Human risk factors remain outside of cybersecurity pros’ control Date: 2024-03-15 Author: Help Net Security Cyber threats are growing at an unprecedented pace, and the year ahead is fraught with cybercrime and incidents anticipated ahead of the busy election year where over 50 countries head to the polls, according to Mimecast. With new threats like AI and deepfake technology, the stakes are higher than ever to execute a strong cyber defense. Microsoft announces deprecation of 1024-bit RSA keys in Windows Date: 2024-03-18 Author: Bleeping Computer Microsoft has announced that RSA keys shorter than 2048 bits will soon be deprecated in Windows Transport Layer Security (TLS) to provide increased security. Rivest–Shamir–Adleman (RSA) is an asymmetric cryptography system that uses pairs of public and private keys to encrypt data, with the strength directly related to the length of the key. The longer these keys, the harder they are to crack. 1024-bit RSA keys have approximately 80 bits of strength, while the 2048-bit key has approximately 112 bits, making the latter four billion times longer to factor. Experts in the field consider 2048-bit keys safe until at least 2030. Threat landscape for industrial automation systems. H2 2023 Date: 2024-03-19 Author: Kaspersky ICS CERT In the second half of 2023, the percentage of ICS computers on which malicious objects were blocked decreased by 2.1 pp to 31.9%. In H2 2023, building automation once again had the highest percentage of ICS computers on which malicious objects were blocked of all industries that we looked at. Oil and Gas was the only industry to see a slight (0.5 pp) increase in the second half of the year. ESB-2024.1635 – Nessus Products: CVSS (Max): 7.8 A privilege escalation vulnerability in Nessus plugin has been addressed. This vulnerability affects Nessus and Nessus Agent ESB-2024.1680 – Atlassian Self-Managed Products: CVSS (Max): 10.0 Atlassian has released patches for multiple vulnerabilities in its monthly security update ESB-2024.1683 – Firefox: CVSS (Max): 6.5* Firefox has been updated to version 124 addressing multiple vulnerabilities ESB-2024.1717 – Jenkins (core): CVSS (Max): 7.5 Jenkins (core) has been updated to address a Denial of Service vulnerability Stay safe, stay patched and have a good weekend! The AusCERT team

Greetings, Another week is coming to a close, and what an eventful week it has been! Some of our team members travelled to Sydney to reconnect with our valued members and attended the iTnews 2024 Benchmark Awards. For over a decade, these awards have provided IT leaders and teams with an opportunity to gain recognition for their ambition, innovation, and the value they bring to government, industry, and the public. This year, the focus was on acknowledging both projects and the individuals behind Australia's best IT initiatives. AUSCERT is proud to support programs like these that highlight the hard work and important achievements of IT teams across our country! To top off a great week, the women of AUSCERT also attended a High Tea organised by the Australian Women in Security Network (AWSN), to commemorate International Women’s Day (IWD). The High Tea featured influential guest speakers, Tea Dietterich, CEO of 2M Language Services, and Jackie French, Director for the Faculty of Creative Arts at TAFE Queensland, who both discussed the concerns and issues that women often face when trying to excel in their careers. They spoke about this year's IWD theme, “Count her in: Invest in Women, Accelerate Progress,” and how it encapsulates our collective mission towards a more inclusive, innovative, and secure future for all. Women’s economic empowerment is essential if we hope to create a world where gender equality is not just a goal but a reality. When women are given equal opportunities to earn, learn, and lead, entire communities thrive. While progress has been made, women face significant obstacles to achieving equal participation in the economy. Without equal access to education, employment pathways, financial services, and literacy, how can we ever hope to reach gender equality? We must ensure that women are given equal opportunity to build capabilities and strengthen their capacity to learn, earn, and lead. To conclude, we would like to highlight the importance of empowering women and all staff through further education and training. We have recently released a whole new set of training courses specifically designed to enhance and empower staff with the essentials of cybersecurity. Check out our full list of upcoming training sessions here! Fortinet warns of critical RCE bug in endpoint management software Date: 2024-03-13 Author: Bleeping Computer [Please see AUSCERT bulletin: https://wordpress-admin.auscert.org.au/bulletins/ESB-2024.1576] Fortinet patched a critical vulnerability in its FortiClient Enterprise Management Server (EMS) software that can allow attackers to gain remote code execution (RCE) on vulnerable servers. FortiClient EMS enables admins to manage endpoints connected to an enterprise network, allowing them to deploy FortiClient software and assign security profiles on Windows devices. Chipmaker Patch Tuesday: Intel, AMD Address New Microarchitectural Vulnerabilities Date: 2024-03-13 Author: Security Week [AUSCERT has published security bulletins for these Intel updates] Intel published eight new advisories, including two that describe high-severity vulnerabilities. One of the high-severity issues is a local privilege escalation impacting BIOS firmware for some Intel processors. The second is a local privilege escalation that impacts the on-chip debug and test interface in some 4th Generation Intel Xeon processors when using SGX or TDX technology. Adobe Patches Critical Flaws in Enterprise Products Date: 2024-03-12 Author: Security Week [AUSCERT has published security bulletins for these Adobe updates] Software maker Adobe on Tuesday released a hefty batch of security updates to fix critical-severity vulnerabilities in multiple enterprise-facing products. The Patch Tuesday rollout contains fixes for code execution flaws in the oft-targeted Adobe ColdFusion, Adobe Premiere Pro, Adobe Bridge and Adobe Lightroom. The San Jose, Calif. company called urgent attention to a mega-update for its Adobe Experience Manager software, documenting at least 46 vulnerabilities that expose users to arbitrary code execution and security feature bypass. Patch Tuesday: Microsoft Flags Major Bugs in HyperV, Exchange Server Date: 2024-03-12 Author: Security Week [AUSCERT has published security bulletins for these Microsoft updates] Microsoft on Tuesday rolled out patches for at least 60 security vulnerabilities haunting the Windows ecosystem and warned there is exposure to remote code execution attacks. The world’s largest software maker tagged two HyperV vulnerabilities — CVE-2024-21407 and CVE-2024-21408 with its highest critical-severity rating and urged users to prioritize these fixes to reduce exposure to code execution and denial-of-service attacks. Microsoft also flagged a serious flaw in Open Management Infrastructure (OMI) for urgent attention, noting that the CVE-2024-21334 bug carries a CVSS severity score of 9.8 out of 10. Possibly Exploited Fortinet Flaw Impacts Many Systems, but No Signs of Mass Attacks Date: 2024-03-11 Author: Security Week [See AUSCERT bulletin https://wordpress-admin.auscert.org.au/bulletins/ESB-2024.0849] Roughly one month ago, Fortinet patched a critical FortiOS vulnerability and warned customers about potential exploitation. Many systems are impacted, but there still do not appear to be any signs of large-scale attacks. The vulnerability, tracked as CVE-2024-21762, has been described as an out-of-bounds write issue in FortiOS and FortiProxy that can allow a remote, unauthenticated attacker to execute arbitrary code or commands through specially crafted HTTP requests. When it disclosed the zero-day flaw on February 9, Fortinet said it was ‘potentially being exploited in the wild’. CISA added CVE-2024-21762 to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities Catalog a few days later. ASB-2024.0051 – ALERT Microsoft Windows: CVSS (Max): 8.8* Microsoft released numerous updates this week as part of its monthly 'Patch Tuesday' release. ESB-2024.1541 – Adobe Premiere Pro: CVSS (Max): 7.8 Adobe joined Microsoft in releasing updates for many of its products running on Windows, Linux and macOS. ESB-2024.1565 – Intel Processors: CVSS (Max): 7.2 .. and Intel also joined Microsoft and Adobe with their regular release of fixes for vulnerabilities affecting their processors and associated hardware, firmware and software. ESB-2024.1576 – FortiClientEMS: CVSS (Max): 9.3 FortiClientEMS remote unauthenticated vulnerability reported and patched this week and referred to in this week's articles. ESB-2024.0849 – ALERT FortiOS: CVSS (Max): 9.6 Another Fortinet vulnerability patched this week and noted in this week's listed articles. Stay safe, stay patched and have a good weekend! The AUSCERT team

Greetings, Today we celebrate AUSCERT’s 31ST Birthday and embrace the spirit of International Women’s Day! It fills us with immense joy to be able to celebrate this special occasion alongside the remarkable women around us! Ironically on this momentous day, we also released the 31st episode of our podcast titled “Cybercrime” featuring special guests Nigel Phair from Monash University and James Chadwick, Principal Analyst of AUSCERT. In this captivating conversation Anthony and Nigel unravel the murky world of cybercrime. Together, they explore the evolution of cybercrime over the past two decades, particularly as the internet has become more accessible to a broader audience globally. They shed light on the expanding opportunities it has provided for criminals, delving into the various tactics and approaches employed to tackle this complex issue throughout the years. In other news, as Queensland's local government elections approach, it's crucial to remain vigilant about potential voting scams that often emerge during these periods. During significant events like political elections, evil actors tend to escalate their attacks, capitalising on the heightened buzz and media attention. Here are some key points to be mindful of during this election season: Phishing Attempts: Exercise caution with emails, messages, or calls claiming to be from official election authorities. Avoid clicking on suspicious links and verify the authenticity of communication before sharing any personal information. Misinformation Campaigns: Be wary of false information circulating on social media or other platforms. Verify the accuracy of news and updates related to the election from reliable sources before sharing or acting upon them. Fraudulent Websites: Only use official and secure websites for election related information and activities. Malicious actors may create fraudulent websites to collect sensitive data or spread misinformation. Phone Impersonation Scams: Be cautious of individuals posing as election officials, candidates, or representatives. Verify the identity of anyone requesting personal information or donations related to the election. Stay informed: Keep yourself informed about common election scams and stay updated on security guidelines provided by official election authorities. You can find more information on the Australian Government’s Scamwatch website. Awareness is key to prevent falling victim to fraudulent activities! If you do encounter any of the above activities, report it here. Hackers steal Windows NTLM authentication hashes in phishing attacks Date: 2024-03-04 Author: Bleeping Computer [AUSCERT is aware of reports where Australian organisations appear to have been targeted by TA577. Please see AusCERT bulletin: https://wordpress-admin.auscert.org.au/bulletins/ASB-2024.0046.2] The hacking group known as TA577 has recently shifted tactics by using phishing emails to steal NT LAN Manager (NTLM) authentication hashes to perform account hijacks. TA577 is considered an initial access broker (IAB), previously associated with Qbot and linked to Black Basta ransomware infections. Email security firm Proofpoint reports today that although it has seen TA577 showing a preference for deploying Pikabot recently, two recent attack waves demonstrate a different tactic. PikaBot malware on the rise: What organizations need to know Date: 2024-03-01 Author: Malwarebytes Labs [AusCERT has distributed IoCs associated with PikaBot malware through the MISP platform] A new type of malware is being used by ransomware gangs in their attacks, and its name is PikaBot. A relatively new trojan that emerged in early 2023, PikaBot is the apparent successor to the infamous QakBot (QBot) trojan that was shut down in August 2023. QBot was used by many ransomware gangs in the past for its versatile ability to facilitate initial access and deliver secondary payloads. Apple fixes two new iOS zero-days exploited in attacks on iPhones Date: 2024-03-05 Author: Bleeping Computer [Please see AusCERT bulletins: https://wordpress-admin.auscert.org.au/bulletins/ESB-2024.1413 and https://wordpress-admin.auscert.org.au/bulletins/ESB-2024.1414] Apple released emergency security updates to fix two iOS zero-day vulnerabilities that were exploited in attacks on iPhones. "Apple is aware of a report that this issue may have been exploited," the company said in an advisory issued on Tuesday. The two bugs were found in the iOS Kernel (CVE-2024-23225) and RTKit (CVE-2024-23296), both allowing attackers with arbitrary kernel read and write capabilities to bypass kernel memory protections. TeamCity auth bypass bug exploited to mass-generate admin accounts Date: 2024-03-06 Author: Bleeping Computer [AUSCERT utilised third-party search engines to identify and alert any impacted members. If you use Teamcity, we recommend patching according to the vendor's guidelines] Hackers have started to exploit the critical-severity authentication bypass vulnerability (CVE-2024-27198) in TeamCity On-Premises, which JetBrains addressed in an update on Monday. Exploitation appears to be massive, with hundreds of new users created on unpatched instances of TeamCity exposed on the public web. VMware Patches Critical ESXi Sandbox Escape Flaws Date: 2024-03-05 Author: Security Week [Please see AusCERT bulletin: https://wordpress-admin.auscert.org.au/bulletins/ESB-2024.1406/] Virtualization technology vendor VMware on Tuesday rolled out urgent patches for critical-severity flaws in the enterprise-facing ESXi, Workstation, Fusion and Cloud Foundation products. The company documented four vulnerabilities and warned that the most serious bugs could allow a malicious actor with local admin privileges on a virtual machine to execute code as the virtual machine’s VMX process running on the host. ESB-2024.1366 – Android: CVSS (Max): 9.8 Google has released security patches for critical security vulnerabilities affecting Android devices including a vulnerability in the System component potentially leading to remote code execution. ESB-2024.1407 – Linear eMerge E3-Series: CVSS (Max): 10.0 A critical security vulnerability in the Nice Linear eMerge E3-Series poses a severe risk with a CVSS score of 10.0. Exploitation of multiple vulnerabilities could allow a remote attacker to gain full system access. Users are advised to upgrade to the latest firmware to mitigate these risks. ESB-2024.1431 – squid: CVSS (Max): 8.6 An update for Squid is now available for Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9.2 Extended Update Support, addressing a vulnerability that could lead to a denial of service in the HTTP header parser. ESB-2024.1368 – Google Chrome: CVSS (Max): None Google released Chrome 122.0.6261.111/.112 for Windows and Mac and 122.0.6261.111 to Linux that contains 3 security fixes. ESB-2024.1461 – Jenkins Plugins: CVSS (Max): 8.0* Jenkins has released latest versions of the affected plugins to address multiple security vulnerabilities, including issues such as SSH vulnerabilities, improper input sanitization leading to cross-site scripting (XSS), and missing permission checks. Stay safe, stay patched and have a good weekend! The AusCERT team

Greetings, The AUSCERT2024 program is now live! With the highest number of presentation submissions ever received, the selection committee faced the challenging task of curating a program that showcases the most relevant and impactful topics. Striving for diversity, the committee selected a wide array of subjects, ensuring a well-rounded and engaging program. If you haven't already, make sure to register as soon as possible to secure your spot! In recent news, the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has introduced version 2.0 of its cyber security framework (CSF), marking a significant update since its inception in 2014. This development is noteworthy as the framework now explicitly aims to assist all organisations, extending beyond critical infrastructure entities in managing and mitigating risks. The updated framework incorporates implementation examples, providing actionable steps to achieve various outcomes within different areas. Additionally, they have also released quick start guides to provide further direction and guidance to organisations wanting to achieve specific objectives. The updated NIST Framework places a new focus on governance. The new GOVERN function addresses the cyber security risk management strategy, expectations and policies that should be established, communicated and monitored. GOVERN essentially provides outcomes to inform what an organisation may do to achieve and prioritise the outcomes of the other five Functions within the framework (Identify, Protec, Detect, Respond & Recover). GOVERN also contains a new focus area on cyber security supply chain risk management. For member organisations seeking additional support in governance, we recommend registering for our new training course, "Data Governance Principles and Practices." In this course, our expert practitioners delve into the key components of a successful data governance framework, utilizing real-world examples to illustrate best practices. The training is designed to provide attendees with fundamental skills and knowledge essential for expediting the establishment of a successful data governance program within their organisation. Participants will also learn practices and methodologies applicable to various initiatives, including stakeholder management, identification of pain points and the development of related objectives ultimately leading to the creation of a strategy on a page. CVE-2024-26592 & 26594: Critical Linux Kernel Flaws Open Door for Code Execution and Data Theft Date: 2024-03-26 Author: Security Online A pair of critical vulnerabilities, recently patched in the Linux kernel, have raised alarms for anyone managing Linux systems. These flaws resided in the KSMBD file server, responsible for seamless file sharing with Windows machines. These vulnerabilities, dubbed CVE-2024-26592 and CVE-2024-26594, carried severe consequences, but thankfully, swift action has mitigated the threat. WordPress LiteSpeed Plugin Vulnerability Puts 5 Million Sites at Risk Date: 2024-03-27 Author: The Hacker News [AusCERT has identified the impacted members (where possible) and contacted them via email ] A security vulnerability has been disclosed in the LiteSpeed Cache plugin for WordPress that could enable unauthenticated users to escalate their privileges. Tracked as CVE-2023-40000, the vulnerability was addressed in October 2023 in version 5.7.0.1. "This plugin suffers from unauthenticated site-wide stored [cross-site scripting] vulnerability and could allow any unauthenticated user from stealing sensitive information to, in this case, privilege escalation on the WordPress site by performing a single HTTP request," Patchstack researcher Rafie Muhammad said. TeamViewer's Security Flaw Risks Password Safety Date: 2024-03-29 Author: Security Online A recently discovered security hole (CVE-2024-0819) in older TeamViewer versions (prior to 15.51.5) could have put your personal password and system security at risk. This flaw allowed even low-level users on shared computers to set a personal password, potentially leading to unauthorized remote access. Fortunately, TeamViewer has released a fix, but it’s crucial to update immediately and take this opportunity to bolster your overall security practices. Progress patches authentication bug in OpenEdge Date: 2024-03-28 Author: iTnews Progress Software’s OpenEdge authentication gateway and AdminServer need to be patched against a critical authentication bypass bug present in all supported releases of OpenEdge. According to the company’s advisory, the bug affects OpenEdge Release 11.7.18 and earlier, OpenEdge 12.2.13 and earlier, and OpenEdge 12.8.0. The bug’s Mitre entry adds: “Certain unexpected content passed into the credentials can lead to unauthorised access without proper authentication.” CVE-2023-7235: OpenVPN Vulnerability Puts Windows Users at Risk Date: 2024-03-21 Author: Security Online [AUSCERT has identified the impacted members (where possible) and contacted them via email] OpenVPN has released version 2.6.9 for Windows, Mac, and Linux, addressing a severe privilege escalation vulnerability (CVE-2023-7235). This flaw, discovered by Will Dormann, affects Windows GUI installations of OpenVPN. Zyxel Patches Remote Code Execution Bug in Firewall Products Date: 2024-03-26 Author: Security Week Taiwanese networking device maker Zyxel has rolled out patches for multiple defects in its firewall and access point products alongside warnings that unpatched systems are at risk of remote code execution attacks. Zyxel, a company that has struggled with software security problems, documented at least four vulnerabilities that expose businesses to code execution, command injection and denial-of-service exploitation. ESB-2024.1257 – Google Chrome: CVSS (Max): None Google has issued an update for the Google Chrome Stable channel containing 4 security patches. This update is applicable to Mac, Linux, and Windows systems and will be gradually rolled out over the upcoming days/weeks. ESB-2024.1150 – Firefox for iOS: CVSS (Max): None Mozilla has released patches to resolve CVE-2024-26283, CVE-2024-26282, and CVE-2024-26281 in Firefox for iOS 123, preventing potential unauthorized script execution by attackers. ESB-2024.1299 – Juniper Secure Analytics (JSA): CVSS (Max): 9.8 Several vulnerabilities have been reported in Juniper Networks' Juniper Secure Analytics affecting all versions before 7.5.0 UP7. Juniper Networks has released software updates to mitigate these vulnerabilities. ESB-2024.1131.2 – UPDATE Drupal Core: CVSS (Max): None A critical vulnerability affecting Drupal core has been identified, potentially resulting in sensitive information being cached and accessible to anonymous users, thereby enabling privilege escalation. Administrators are strongly advised to install the recommended version prevent exploitation. Stay safe, stay patched and have a good weekend! The AusCERT team

Greetings, AUSCERT has detected a rise in Critical MSINs being sent to members. These proactive alerts are flagged for urgent attention to mitigate potential high-priority risks, particularly when AUSCERT identifies exploitation of 0-day vulnerabilities. CISA, along with its five-eye country partners, has issued a joint advisory on 'Identifying and Mitigating Living Off the Land Techniques' (LOLT). Notably, cyber threat actors, including state-sponsored actors from the People’s Republic of China and the Russian Federation, have been observed employing LOLT to compromise and maintain persistent access to critical infrastructure organisations. This joint guide is released for network defenders and threat hunters, addressing the increasing prevalence of LOLT techniques in the broader cyber threat landscape. Understanding and countering these techniques is crucial for enhancing cybersecurity posture and mitigating risks from sophisticated adversaries. In other recent developments, the Pall Mall Process declaration between the UK and France marks a crucial stride in addressing the proliferation and irresponsible use of commercial cyber intrusion capabilities. Cyber proliferation involves the intentional or unintentional transfer of cyber capabilities among actors for network or device exploitation or attack purposes. The Pall Mall Process declaration is an innovative international initiative aimed at exploring policy options and new practices to counter this shared threat. The NCSC’s recent blog delves into what this process signifies for the future. Take a moment to read and stay informed, you can then “advance to GO”. Are you aware of Australia's Online Safety Laws? While employing measures like secure passphrases and two-factor authentication provides a strong defence against bad actors, it's equally important to report illegal and violent content online. To learn more, visit esafety.gov.au, these laws have your back! Business risks are also important. The AUSCERT Cyber Security Risk Management course is designed to provide participants with the confidence to perform a risk assessment of cyber security risks, and the ability to rate, assess, and report business risks. Calibrating cyber security as business risks rather than just technical vulnerability severity readily facilitates business leader buy-in. Register today!. Here are some highlights from this week’s cyber security news, including the significant law enforcement takeover of the prolific multinational ransomware syndicate behind LockBit. ConnectWise Rushes to Patch Critical Vulns in Remote Access Tool Date: 2024-02-20 Author: Security Week [AUSCERT has identified the impacted members (where possible) and contacted them via email] Enterprise IT software giant ConnectWise has released urgent patches for two critical security defects in its ScreenConnect remote desktop access product, warning there is high risk of in-the-wild exploitation. The most serious of the two bugs is described as an “authentication bypass using an alternate path or channel” and carries the maximum CVSS severity score of 10/10. A second bug, documented as an improper limitation of a pathname to a restricted directory (“path traversal”) was also fixed and tagged with a CVSS severity score of 8.4/10. Over 28,500 Exchange servers vulnerable to actively exploited bug Date: 2024-02-19 Author: Bleeping computer [Please see AUSCERT bulletin: https://wordpress-admin.auscert.org.au/bulletins/ASB-2024.0038/] Up to 97,000 Microsoft Exchange servers may be vulnerable to a critical severity privilege escalation flaw tracked as CVE-2024-21410 that hackers are actively exploiting. Microsoft addressed the issue on February 13, when it had already been leveraged as a zero-day. Currently, 28,500 servers have been identified as being vulnerable. Tangerine Telecom says customer data of 232,000 affected by 'cyber incident' Date: 2024-02-21 Author: iTnews Tangerine Telecom, a challenger retail service provider, says a “legacy” customer database containing details of 232,000 current and former customers was accessed by an unknown party via exploitation of a contractor’s credentials. The seller of NBN and mobile services said in a statement on Wednesday that “the unauthorised disclosure of certain personal information” occurred on Sunday, and that the management team had learned of the incident on Tuesday. LockBit ransomware disrupted by global police operation Date: 2024-02-19 Author: Bleeping Computer Law enforcement agencies from 11 countries have disrupted the notorious LockBit ransomware operation in a joint operation known as ''Operation Cronos." According to a banner displayed on LockBit's data leak website, the site is now under the control of the National Crime Agency of the United Kingdom. Government moves to expand SMS Sender ID registry Date: 2024-02-19 Author: iTnews Nine months after announcing it would require telcos to use a Sender ID Registry to combat SMS spam, the government has started consultation over whether the scheme should be mandatory or voluntary for Australia’s telcos. The registry would create a controlled list of the numbers used by registered brand names. This would prevent scammers from impersonating participants’ brands, since carriers would block texts using those brands unless the originating number is in the registry. ASB-2024.0045.3 – UPDATE AUSCERT Bulletin Service AUSCERT has recently updated its security bulletin infrastructure. — Notable changes include: * removal of PGP-signing * consolidation of operating system categories and tags to retire some end-of-life products and introduce some recent categories * minor change to email subject line and headers due to a change of the underlying systems * improved bulletin search facility on website ESB-2024.1092 – Google Chrome: CVSS (Max): None Google has released patches for several vulnerabilities for Google Chrome ESB-2024.1099 – VMware Enhanced Authentication Plug-in (EAP): CVSS (Max): 9.6 VMware has addressed vulnerabilities in the deprecated VMware Enhanced Authentication Plug-in (EAP) ESB-2024.1102 – Atlassian Products: CVSS (Max): 8.5 Atlassian has released updates to several products which were impacted by various high-severity vulnerabilities Stay safe, stay patched and have a good weekend! The AusCERT team

Greetings, The ACSC has developed a valuable single reporting tool to help you determine which Australian regulations apply to your organisation, as well as specifying when and to whom you need to report a cyber breach. First highlighted in the government’s Australian Cyber Security Strategy 2023-2030, the swift availability of this resource is notable. Its significance lies in simplifying the process and will undoubtedly have a positive impact on our community. The federal government launched the Cyber Security Legislative Reforms consultation paper late last year to gather views on new legislative initiatives and proposed amendments to the Security of Critical Infrastructure Act 2018. This consultation paper outlines reforms that were part of the Australian Cyber Security Strategy action plan and covers nine areas that are worthy of a read. One being Ransomware reporting obligations which is one of the fastest growing types of cybercrime. The government is proposing that reporting ransomware incidents should become a mandatory, no-fault, no-liability obligation for businesses. The National Office of Cyber Security’s recent review of the HWL Ebsworth cyber incident demonstrates various lessons, with one significant takeaway being the company’s close collaboration with government agencies in effectively handling the incident. Therefore, the government is considering introducing a Cyber Incident Review Board co-designed with the industry to share the lessons learned from cyber incidents with businesses and the wider public. The HWL Ebsworth breach involved the exfiltration of 4TB of data (2.2 million files), including sensitive information from 62 Australian government entities, major banks, airlines, and other multinational businesses. In preparation for cyber incidents, consider registering for our Incident Response Planning training course! Effective cyber security incident response is essential for maintaining organisational objectives by avoiding or limiting the impact of cyber security incidents. Be equipped with the tools to write and implement a bespoke incident response plan for your organisation. Register today!. Here are some highlights from this week’s cyber security news: Zoom patches critical privilege elevation flaw in Windows apps Date: 2024-02-14 Author: Bleeping Computer [Please also see AUSCERT bulletin:https://wordpress-admin.auscert.org.au/bulletins/ASB-2024.0044] The Zoom desktop and VDI clients and the Meeting SDK for Windows are vulnerable to an improper input validation flaw that could allow an unauthenticated attacker to conduct privilege escalation on the target system over the network. Zoom is a popular cloud-based video conferencing service for corporate meetings, educational lessons, social interactions/gatherings, and more. New Fortinet RCE bug is actively exploited, CISA confirms Date: 2024-02-09 Author: Bleeping Computer [AUSCERT has identified impacted members (where possible) and contacted them via email]. [Please also see AUSCERT bulletin: https://wordpress-admin.auscert.org.au/bulletins/ESB-2024.0849] CISA confirmed today that attackers are actively exploiting a critical remote code execution (RCE) bug patched by Fortinet on Thursday. The flaw (CVE-2024-21762) is due to an out-of-bounds write weakness in the FortiOS operating system that can let unauthenticated attackers execute arbitrary code remotely using maliciously crafted HTTP requests. CISA: Roundcube email server bug now exploited in attacks Date: 2024-02-12 Author: Bleeping Computer [AUSCERT has identified the impacted members (where possible) and contacted them via email.] CISA warns that a Roundcube email server vulnerability patched in September is now actively exploited in cross-site scripting (XSS) attacks. The security flaw (CVE-2023-43770) is a persistent cross-site scripting (XSS) bug that lets attackers access restricted information via plain/text messages maliciously crafted links in low-complexity attacks requiring user interaction. The vulnerability impacts Roundcube email servers running versions newer than 1.4.14, 1.5.x before 1.5.4, and 1.6.x before 1.6.3. QNAP vulnerability disclosure ends up an utter shambles Date: 2024-02-13 Author: The Register [AUSCERT has identified the impacted members (where possible) and contacted them via email] Network-attached storage (NAS) specialist QNAP has disclosed and released fixes for two new vulnerabilities, one of them a zero-day discovered in early November. The Taiwanese company’s coordinated disclosure of the issues with researchers at Unit 42 by Palo Alto Networks has, however, led to some confusion over the severity of the security problem. QNAP assigned CVE-2023-50358 a middling 5.8-out-of-10 severity score, the breakdown of which revealed it was classified as a high-complexity attack that would have a low impact if exploited successfully. Decryptor for Rhysida ransomware is available! Date: 2024-02-12 Author: Help Net Security Files encrypted by Rhysida ransomware can be successfully decrypted, due to a implementation vulnerability discovered by Korean researchers and leveraged to create a decryptor. Rhysida is a relatively new ransomware-as-a-service gang that engages in double extortion. First observed in May 2023, it made its name by attacking the British Library, the Chilean Army, healthcare delivery organizations, and Holding Slovenske Elektrarne (HSE). ASB-2024.0044 – Zoom Clients: CVSS (Max): 9.6 The Zoom desktop and VDI clients and the Meeting SDK for Windows are vulnerable to an improper input validation flaw. ASB-2024.0038 – Microsoft Exchange Server: CVSS (Max): 9.8 Microsoft has released its monthly security patch update and it includes Privilege escalation vulnerability on Microsoft Exchange Servers. ESB-2024.0913 – Adobe Acrobat and Reader: CVSS (Max): 8.8 Successful exploitation could lead to arbitrary code execution, application denial-of-service, and memory leak. ESB-2024.0836.2 – UPDATED ALERT Cisco Expressway Series: CVSS (Max): 9.6 Multiple vulnerabilities in the Cisco Expressway Series could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker to conduct cross-site request forgery (CSRF) attacks, which could allow the attacker to perform arbitrary actions on an affected device. Stay safe, stay patched and have a good weekend! The AusCERT team

Greetings, AUSCERT2024 registrations are now open – secure the early bird rates now! AUSCERT Member Tokens have been dispatched so make sure to utilise these great discounted and complimentary tickets. Our tutorial schedule offers a great selection of workshops covering diverse subjects like threat hunting, incident response, risk management, and machine learning. This year, we received the highest number of presentation submissions in the history of our conference! We're eagerly anticipating the program committee's selection of the best presentations for an exciting and informative program. Join us for an exceptional experience at AUSCERT2024! One of our favourite aspects of the conference is the chance to reconnect with our community. Each year, our goal is to curate a program featuring speakers who are experts and leaders in their fields, while also promoting diversity to ensure we incorporate different perspectives and mindsets. A notable highlight from AUSCERT2023 was the significant presence of outstanding female speakers in the program. Particularly impressive was keynote speaker Rachel Tobac, a globally renowned expert in social engineering. Speaking of social engineering, with Valentine’s Day approaching now is a great time to promote good cyber hygiene in your workplace and personal life. You can further bolster cyber security resilience in your workplace with a variety of new training courses we’ve recently added to our line-up, including the highly sought-after "Data Governance Principles and Practices." This course is designed to educate participants on the key components of a successful framework, covering best practices and real-world examples. Attendees will learn the essential skills and knowledge required to implement a successful data governance program in their organisations. Here’s some highlights from this week’s cyber security news: Critical Cisco bug exposes Expressway gateways to CSRF attacks Date: 2024-02-07 Author: Bleeping Computer [AUSCERT has identified impacted members (where possible) and contacted them via email] [Please also see AUSCERT bulletin: https://portal.auscert.org.au/bulletins/ESB-2024.0836] Cisco has patched several vulnerabilities affecting its Expressway Series collaboration gateways, two of them rated as critical severity and exposing vulnerable devices to cross-site request forgery (CSRF) attacks. Attackers can exploit CSRF vulnerabilities to trick authenticated users into clicking malicious links or visiting attacker-controlled webpages to perform unwanted actions such as adding new user accounts, executing arbitrary code, gaining admin privileges, and more. JetBrains warns of new TeamCity auth bypass vulnerability Date: 2024-02-06 Author: Bleeping Computer JetBrains urged customers today to patch their TeamCity On-Premises servers against a critical authentication bypass vulnerability that can let attackers take over vulnerable instances with admin privileges. Tracked as CVE-2024-23917, this critical severity flaw impacts all versions of TeamCity On-Premises from 2017.1 through 2023.11.2 and can be exploited in remote code execution (RCE) attacks that don't require user interaction. AnyDesk says hackers breached its production servers, reset passwords Date: 2024-02-02 Author: Bleeping Computer AnyDesk confirmed today that it suffered a recent cyberattack that allowed hackers to gain access to the company's production systems. BleepingComputer has learned that source code and private code signing keys were stolen during the attack. AnyDesk is a remote access solution that allows users to remotely access computers over a network or the internet. The program is very popular with the enterprise, which use it for remote support or to access colocated servers. Critical Remote Code Execution Vulnerability Patched in Android Date: 2024-02-06 Author: Security Week [Please also see AUSCERT bulletin: https://portal.auscert.org.au/bulletins/ESB-2024.0766] Google on Monday announced patches for 46 vulnerabilities in Android, including a critical-severity bug leading to remote code execution. The flaw, tracked as CVE-2024-0031 and impacting Android Open Source Project (AOSP) versions 11, 12, 12L, 13, and 14, was identified in the platform’s System component. “The most severe of these issues is a critical security vulnerability in the System component that could lead to remote code execution with no additional execution privileges needed,” Google explains in its advisory. QNAP Patches High-Severity Bugs in QTS, Qsync Central Date: 2024-02-05 Author: Security Week [AUSCERT has identified the impacted members (where possible) and contacted them via email] Taiwan-based QNAP Systems has released patches for two dozen vulnerabilities across its products, including two high-severity flaws leading to command execution. The bugs, tracked as CVE-2023-45025 and CVE-2023-39297, are described as OS command injection flaws that impact QTS versions 5.1.x and 4.5.x, QuTS hero versions h5.1.x and h4.5.x, and QuTScloud version 5.x. The first issue, QNAP says, can be exploited by users to execute commands via the network, under certain system configurations. The second bug requires authentication for successful exploitation, the company says. Critical vulnerability in Mastodon is pounced upon by fast-acting admins Date: 2024-02-02 Author: The Register Mastodon has called admins to action following the disclosure of a critical vulnerability affecting the decentralized social network favored by erstwhile Twitter lovers. With a 9.4 severity score, exploiting CVE-2024-23832 potentially allows attackers to take over Mastodon accounts remotely. While very little has been released by way of technical details – allowing admins time to patch before attackers devise exploits – vulnerabilities with such high CVSS scores tend to lead to severe consequences on the affected product and are often relatively easy to exploit. ASB-2024.0035.2 – UPDATE FortiSIEM AUSCERT has issued an advisory to its members regarding a critical flaw in Fortinet's FortiSIEM product. Initially, there were some confusions on this advisory as the vendor directed customers to a previously resolved issue from October last year. However, the confusion has since been cleared up. AUSCERT advises its members to follow the vendor's recommendations and promptly apply the necessary patches to address the issue. ESB-2024.0836 – ALERT Cisco Expressway Series: CVSS (Max): 9.6 Multiple vulnerabilities have been discovered in Cisco Expressway Series collaboration gateways, with two of them being classified as Critical. Cisco has taken action by releasing security updates to mitigate these vulnerabilities. ESB-2024.0766 – Android: CVSS (Max): 7.5* Google has recently made an announcement regarding the release of patches for 46 vulnerabilities found in Android. Among these vulnerabilities is a critical-severity bug that could potentially result in remote code execution. This particular flaw, identified as CVE-2024-0031, affects the Android Open Source Project. ESB-2024.0751 – WordPress: CVSS (Max): None WordPress has recently launched version 6.4.2, focusing on resolving 7 bug fixes in Core. Additionally, this release includes an important security fix. The users are advised to promptly update their sites to ensure optimal security and functionality. ESB-2024.0798 – Google Chrome: CVSS (Max): None Google has updated the Stable channel to 121.0.6167.160 for Mac and Linux and Windows will be rolled out over the coming days/weeks. This update includes 3 security fixes. Stay safe, stay patched and have a good weekend! The AUSCERT team

Greetings, What better way to kickstart your cybersecurity goals this year by improving your knowledge with the most relevant strategies? This week, our team has been busy creating a schedule of training courses for our members to register for in 2024! Remember, the best way to get ahead of threats and attacks is to have the most relevant education and training in effective strategies to successfully mitigate cyber risks. Head to our Training page for more information on courses you can register for! Alternatively, contact us for more information at training@auscert.org.au. During a big week filled with security patches and updates, various vendors and platforms released fixes for different vulnerabilities. AUSCERT’s team of expert analysts worked diligently to issue bulletins, ensuring members were informed of the latest information. We specialise in vulnerability research, delivering consistently formatted bulletins across major platforms and vendors to streamline security patching. Once a patch for a vulnerability is publicly released by a vendor, it is recommended to apply it as soon as possible, as malicious actors are expected to start developing code to exploit it. Although with an abundance of updates flooding in daily, we understand the importance of prioritising effectively to ensure your resources are adequately utilised. Our security bulletins provide concise summaries, enabling quick comprehension of essential information, severity determination, and prioritisation of organisational patching efforts. Each vulnerability comes with a recommended resolution, including patching, upgrading, and mitigation suggestions. AUSCERT publishes Security Bulletins each business day, curating and checking content to ensure up-to-date information for our members. Members can also subscribe to the Daily Bulletins Digest, summarising all the Security Bulletins published throughout the day in a single email. If you would like to update your organisational Security Bulletins to the Daily Bulletins Digest simply email – membership@auscert.org.au. By maintaining clear and streamlined patch management processes and procedures, organisations can position themselves to act swiftly upon vulnerability announcements and patch releases. Strategy minimises the attack surface of systems, leading to an enhancement in your overall security posture. CVE-2024-20253 (CVSS 9.9): Cisco Unified Communications Products RCE Vulnerability Date: 2024-01-24 Author: Security Online [Please see AUSCERT bulletin: https://portal.auscert.org.au/bulletins/ESB-2024.0493.2] [AUSCERT has identified impacted members (where possible) and contacted them via email] Cisco has patched a critical Unified Communications and Contact Center Solutions security flaw that can let unauthenticated, remote attackers execute arbitrary code on an affected device. This security flaw is tracked as CVE-2024-20253. At the heart of CVE-2024-20253 lies a perilous gap in security: the improper handling of user-provided data as it is ingested into memory. This flaw opens the door for unauthenticated, remote attackers to craft and dispatch malicious messages to a listening port on vulnerable devices. Booking.com scams that look ‘so real’ have surged, costing Australians thousands of dollars Date: 2024-01-31 Author: ABC News Australia’s consumer rights watchdog has seen a sharp increase in Australians mentioning popular accommodation site Booking.com when they report experiencing or falling victim to a scam. Scam reports mentioning Booking.com significantly increased in 2023 and caused Australians to lose more than $337,000, according to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC). The ACCC said its Scamwatch program received 363 reports of scams in 2023 which mentioned Booking.com — one of the most visited travel booking sites in the world. CISA warns of patched iPhone kernel bug now exploited in attacks Date: 2024-01-31 Author: Bleeping Computer CISA warned today that a patched kernel security flaw affecting Apple iPhones, Macs, TVs, and watches is now being actively exploited in attacks. Tracked as CVE-2022-48618 and discovered by Apple’s security researchers, the bug was only disclosed on January 9th in an update to a security advisory published in December 2022. The company has yet to reveal if the vulnerability was also silently patched more than two years ago when the advisory was first issued. Bringing the Essential Eight into the Cloud Date: 2024-01-31 Author: Australian Cyber Security Magazine MIT Technology Review Insights named Australia the leader in its inaugural Cyber Defense Index country rankings for 2022-2023. In recent years, Australia has made some key moves to improve the country’s security posture. In 2020, they invested $1.67B as part of Cyber Security Strategy 2020. A year later, they updated maturity levels to the Essential Eight, their comprehensive guide for businesses trying to protect themselves against cyberattacks. In 2022, they appointed Clare O’Neil as their first-ever dedicated Minister for Cyber Security. Ransomware payments drop to record low as victims refuse to pay Date: 2024-01-29 Author: Bleeping Computer The number of ransomware victims paying ransom demands has dropped to a record low of 29% in the final quarter of 2023, according to ransomware negotiation firm Coveware. This trend became apparent in mid-2021 when the payment rate dropped to 46% after previously being 85% at the start of 2019. According to Coveware, the reason for this continual drop is multifaceted, including better preparedness by organizations, a lack of trust towards cybercriminals promising not to publish stolen data, and legal pressure in some regions where paying a ransom is illegal. ESB-2024.0667 – Google Chrome: CVSS (Max): None Google has updated Chrome to address multiple vulnerabilities ESB-2024.0714 – ALERT GitLab Community Edition and Enterprise Edition: CVSS (Max): 9.9 GitLab has addressed several vulnerabilities including a critical with CVSS 9.9. The advisory was published on 25 January ESB-2024.0670 – Splunk Add-on Builder: CVSS (Max): 8.2 An Information disclosure vulnerability has been patched in Splunk Add-on Builder Stay safe, stay patched and have a good weekend! The AUSCERT team

Greetings, We have released a new podcast episode titled Security Culture. In this episode, Anthony sits down with Daisy Wong, AUSCERT's Diversity and Inclusion Champion for 2023 to talk about her unique experience and background which has helped her become a security culture advocate and champion. In the second half of the episode, Bek sits down with David Stockdale, Director of AUSCERT for an exciting announcement about a new recruitment opportunity for a General Manager at AUSCERT. Applications closing this Sunday January 28, so if you’re interested apply today! This week, the Australian federal government took decisive action by officially identifying and imposing sanctions on Russian citizen Aleksandr Ermakov, over his alleged involvement in the Medibank cyber attack. This ground-breaking move marks the government's first cyber crime sanction against a perpetrator, thereby clearly conveying the message that anonymity and impunity will not be tolerated in the realm of cyberspace in Australia. The Medibank cyber attack which occurred in 2022, had severe repercussions, involving the unauthorized acquisition of 9.7million records and inflicting a staggering financial toll of $46.4million on the insurer during the 2022-2023 financial year. This enforcement action underscores the government’s commitment to holding individuals accountable for cyber offenses and serves as a pivotal step in addressing the escalating challenges posed by cyber threats. The action aligns with the dedication outlined in the 2023-2030 Australian Cyber Security Strategy, highlighting the government’s determination to both deter and respond to malicious cyber activities through the strategic use of sanctions. Such measures underscore the imperative of robust cybersecurity initiatives and signal a proactive approach to safeguarding against future cyber threats. In conclusion, if you are looking for some reading over the long weekend, we highly recommend a publication by two friends of AUSCERT, Senior Lecturer from UQ, Ivano Bongiovanni, and UQ Research Officer Bert Valkenburg. They recently published a systematic review of literature on the Three Lines Model (TLM) research. This review contains practical indications for organizations interested in exploring the adoption of the TLM as a Cyber Governance framework. It also offers reflections on some current trends observed in the industry, such as the evolution of CISOs' roles and increased involvement by senior executives. Progress Software patches critical OpenEdge vulnerability Date: 2024-01-22 Author: iTnews Progress Software has disclosed a critical vulnerability in several versions of its Progress Application Server in OpenEdge (PASOE) software. According to an advisory, CVE-2023-40051 affects OpenEdge in versions 11.7 prior to 11.7.18, 12.2 prior to 12.2.13, and innovation releases prior to 12.8.0. “An attacker can formulate a request for a web transport that allows unintended file uploads to a server directory path on the system running PASOE," the advisory states. New NTLM Hash Leak Attacks Target Outlook, Windows Programs Date: 2024-01-22 Author: Security Week [AUSCERT has identified impacted members (where possible) and contacted them via email] Data security firm Varonis has disclosed a new vulnerability and three attack methods for obtaining NTLM v2 hashes by targeting Microsoft Outlook and two Windows programs. The new vulnerability is tracked as CVE-2023-35636. It has been assigned an ‘important’ severity rating by Microsoft, which fixed it with its December 2023 Patch Tuesday updates. The remaining issues have been assigned a ‘moderate’ severity rating and currently remain unpatched, Varonis said. Mother of all breaches – a historic data leak reveals 26 billion records: check what's exposed Date: 2024-01-24 Author: Cyber News The supermassive leak contains data from numerous previous breaches, comprising an astounding 12 terabytes of information, spanning over a mind-boggling 26 billion records. The leak is almost certainly the largest ever discovered. There are data leaks, and then there’s this. A supermassive Mother of all Breaches (MOAB for short) includes records from thousands of meticulously compiled and reindexed leaks, breaches, and privately sold databases. Unpatched Rapid SCADA Vulnerabilities Expose Industrial Organizations to Attacks Date: 2024-01-18 Author: Security Week The Rapid SCADA open source industrial automation platform is affected by several vulnerabilities that could allow hackers to gain access to sensitive industrial systems, but the flaws remain unpatched. The US cybersecurity agency CISA published an advisory last week to inform industrial organizations about seven vulnerabilities discovered by Claroty researchers in Rapid SCADA. Rapid SCADA is advertised as ideal for developing monitoring and control systems, particularly industrial automation and IIoT systems, energy accounting systems, and process control systems. High-Severity Vulnerability Patched in Splunk Enterprise Date: 2024-01-23 Author: Security Week [AUSCERT has identified the impacted members (where possible) and contacted them via email] Splunk on Monday announced patches for multiple vulnerabilities in Splunk Enterprise, including a high-severity bug affecting Windows instances. Tracked as CVE-2024-23678, the high-severity flaw is described as an issue related to incorrect sanitization of path input data resulting in “the unsafe deserialization of untrusted data from a separate disk partition on the machine”. Deserialization of untrusted data is a type of vulnerability allowing for the use of malformed data to cause denial of service, abuse application logic, or execute arbitrary code. Exploit released for Fortra GoAnywhere MFT auth bypass bug Date: 2024-01-23 Author: Bleeping Computer [AUSCERT has identified the impacted members (where possible) and contacted them via email] Exploit code is now available for a critical authentication bypass vulnerability in Fortra's GoAnywhere MFT (Managed File Transfer) software that allows attackers to create new admin users on unpatched instances via the administration portal. GoAnywhere MFT is a web-based managed file transfer tool that helps organizations transfer files securely with partners and keep audit logs of who accessed all shared files. ESB-2024.0386 – VMWare: CVSS (Max): 9.8 VMware issued security updates to fix a critical vCenter Server vulnerability that is being exploited in the wild to gain remote code execution attacks on vulnerable servers. ESB-2024.0412 – Splunk Enterprise: CVSS (Max): 7.5 Splunk released patches for multiple vulnerabilities in Splunk Enterprise, including a high-severity bug affecting Windows instances. Splunk advises its clients to upgrade Splunk Enterprise for Windows to 9.0.8, 9.1.3, or higher. ESB-2024.0426 – ALERT macOS Sonoma 14.3: CVSS (Max): None Apple has released new iOS 17.3 and macOS Sonoma 14.3 updates fix multiple vulnerabilities that expose Apple users to code execution, denial-of-service and data exposure attacks. Multiple WebKit vulnerabilities may have been exploited as zero-day in the wild. ESB-2024.0493 – ALERT Cisco Unified Communications Products: CVSS (Max): 9.9 Cisco has released software updates that address critical-rated RCE vulnerability in multiple Cisco Unified Communications and Contact Center Solutions products that if exploited could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker to execute arbitrary code on an affected device. Stay safe, stay patched and have a good weekend! The AUSCERT team

Greetings, This week, AUSCERT has been busy finalising our member meet-up schedule for 2024! Keep an eye out for invitations coming out soon for a catch-up in your local area! They offer invaluable moments of sharing industry expertise, knowledge sharing, and the chance to connect with old friends while making new ones within the cyber security industry. In cyber news this week, customers of some of Australia’s well-known brands including Dan Murphy’s, Binge, Guzman y Gomez, and Event Cinemas have fallen victim to a coordinated credential stuffing attack, affecting an estimated 15,000 customers. Scammers acquired stolen login details and are exploiting online accounts to conduct fraudulent transactions, accumulating thousands in online purchases. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese emphasized the critical importance of cyber awareness and security during the recent wave of cybercrimes, highlighting the significant threat to Australia and its economic security. A credential stuffing attack like this one involves the use of large sets of username and password combinations obtained from previous data breaches to gain unauthorised access to user accounts on various online platforms. Attackers use automated tools or scripts to test stolen credentials to gain access into different websites or services. If the login attempt is successful, the attacker gains unauthorised access to the user’s account. Attackers may then exploit the compromised account for various malicious activities such as stealing personal information, making unauthorised transactions or launching further attacks. Here are a few helpful tips to protect against credential stuffing attacks: • Reuse of Credentials: – While using strong passwords, passphrases, and password managers is crucial, it's equally important to avoid using the same credentials across multiple platforms. In the event of a data breach on one site or any alternative compromise, your username and password could be exposed, leaving you susceptible to credential-stuffing attacks on other sites. • Enable Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA): – If possible, enabling MFA adds an additional layer of security by requiring a second form of verification along with password. • Regularly Update Passwords: – Users should regularly update their passwords to reduce the risk associated with compromised credentials. • Rate Limiting & CAPTCHA: – Online platforms can implement rate limiting to detect and prevent multiple logins. Additionally CAPTCHA challenges can help stop automated attempts. The above steps are simple ways to enhance your cyber security posture for 2024! GitLab warns of critical zero-click account hijacking vulnerability Date: 2024-01-12 Author: Bleeping Computer [AUSCERT has identified the impacted members (where possible) and contacted them via email] [Also see AUSCERT bulletin: https://portal.auscert.org.au/bulletins/ESB-2024.0272] GitLab has released security updates for both the Community and Enterprise Edition to address two critical vulnerabilities, one of them allowing account hijacking with no user interaction. The vendor strongly recommends updating as soon as possible all vulnerable versions of the DevSecOps platform (manual update required for self-hosted installations) and warns that if there is "no specific deployment type (omnibus, source code, helm chart, etc.) of a product is mentioned, this means all types are affected.” Patch now: Critical VMware, Atlassian flaws found Date: 2024-01-16 Author: The Register [AUSCERT has identified the impacted members for Confluence products (where possible) and contacted them via email] [Also see AUSCERT bulletins: https://portal.auscert.org.au/bulletins/ESB-2024.0290 (Confluence) and https://portal.auscert.org.au/bulletins/ESB-2024.0292 (VMware)] VMware and Atlassian today disclosed critical vulnerabilities and, while neither appear to have been exploited by miscreants yet, admins should patch now to avoid disappointment. First off, a pair of issues from Atlassian. Most serious is CVE-2023-22527, a template injection flaw that can allow unauthenticated remote code execution (RCE) attacks. It scored a perfect CVSS rating of 10 out of 10 and affects Confluence Data Center and Server 8 versions released before December 5, 2023 and 8.4.5, which no longer receives fixes. Over 178K SonicWall firewalls vulnerable to DoS, potential RCE attacks Date: 2024-01-15 Author: Bleeping Computer [AUSCERT has identified the impacted members (where possible) and contacted them via email] Security researchers have found over 178,000 SonicWall next-generation firewalls (NGFW) with the management interface exposed online are vulnerable to denial-of-service (DoS) and potential remote code execution (RCE) attacks. These appliances are affected by two DoS security flaws tracked as CVE-2022-22274 and CVE-2023-0656, the former also allowing attackers to gain remote code execution. Google Warns of Chrome Browser Zero-Day Being Exploited Date: 2024-01-16 Author: Security Week [Please see AUSCERT bulletin: https://portal.auscert.org.au/bulletins/ESB-2024.0293] Google has pushed out an urgent Chrome browser update to fix a trio of high-severity security defects and warned that one of the bugs is already being exploited in the wild. The exploited zero-day, tagged as CVE-2024-0519, is described as an out-of-bounds memory access issue in the V8 JavaScript engine. As is customary, Google did not provide any additional details on scope of the observed attacks or share telemetry to help defenders hunt for signs of compromise. Citrix warns of new Netscaler zero-days exploited in attacks Date: 2024-01-16 Author: Bleeping Computer [Please see AUSCERT bulletin: https://portal.auscert.org.au/bulletins/ESB-2024.0318] Citrix urged customers on Tuesday to immediately patch Netscaler ADC and Gateway appliances exposed online against two actively exploited zero-day vulnerabilities. The two zero-days (tracked as CVE-2023-6548 and CVE-2023-6549) impact the Netscaler management interface and expose unpatched Netscaler instances to remote code execution and denial-of-service attacks, respectively. However, to gain code execution, attackers must be logged in to low-privilege accounts on the targeted instance and need access to NSIP, CLIP, or SNIP with management interface access. Have I Been Pwned adds 71 million emails from Naz.API stolen account list Date: 2024-01-17 Author: Bleeping Computer Have I Been Pwned has added almost 71 million email addresses associated with stolen accounts in the Naz.API dataset to its data breach notification service. The Naz.API dataset is a massive collection of 1 billion credentials compiled using credential stuffing lists and data stolen by information-stealing malware. ASB-2024.0027 – Oracle MySQL: CVSS (Max): 9.8 Oracle has identified multiple vulnerabilities in MySQL and advised that 12 of the vulnerabilities may be remotely exploitable without authentication. ESB-2024.0318 – NetScaler: CVSS (Max): 8.2 Citrix has warned of two critical zero-day vulnerabilities that have active exploitations in the wild. Tracked as CVE-2023-6548 and CVE-2023-6549, the vulnerabilities allow remote code execution and denial-of-service attacks on the affected devices. ESB-2024.0293 – Google Chrome: CVSS (Max): 7.5 Google has pushed out an urgent Chrome browser update to fix three high-severity security defects and advised that one of the bugs, tracked as CVE-2024-0519 is already being exploited in the wild. ESB-2024.0292 – VMware Products: CVSS (Max): 9.9 Tagged as CVE-2023-34063, missing access control problem in Aria Automation earlier of 8.16 has been reported. With a CVSS rating of 9.9 this flaw may allow unauthorized access to remote organizations and workflows. ESB-2024.0290 – ALERT Confluence Data Center and Confluence Server: CVSS (Max): 10.0 Template injection flaw that can allow unauthenticated remote code execution has been identified in Confluence Data Center and Server. Tracked as CVE-2023-22527, the flaw scored a CVSS rating of 10 out of 10. ESB-2024.0272 – ALERT GitLab Community Edition (CE) and GitLab Enterprise Edition (EE): CVSS (Max): 10.0 GitLab has released security updates for both the Community and Enterprise Edition to address two critical vulnerabilities. The most critical issue is the account hijacking with no user interaction vulnerability with the maximum severity score and is being tracked as CVE-2023-7028. Stay safe, stay patched and have a good weekend! The AUSCERT team

Greetings, As the new year is in full swing, and many of us have returned to work, now is a great time to commence the development of our organisational goals and objectives for the year. Cyber security practices should stand as a fundamental pillar within all organisations, given the increased frequency and heightened sophistication of cyber attacks. This week, Microsoft initiated their first Patch Tuesday of the new year, addressing various flaws and vulnerabilities. This serves as a timely reminder for the new year to stay secure and keep your systems patched by addressing these vulnerabilities. Small and medium sized businesses are often the most severely impacted when targeted in cyber attacks. Even a minor incident can have devastating consequences, resulting in significant losses that may be challenging to recover from. Employing robust cyber security measures is crucial for safeguarding financial stability, reputation and ensuring business continuity. The ASD has released a helpful guide for small businesses, offering valuable insights into basic security measures to protect against common security threats. To better prepare consumers, NAB scam experts have shared their top tips to spot the red flags of scam trends predicted to impact Australians in 2024. According to the bank’s fraud and cyber security experts, emerging scams to watch out for include AI voice scams and QR code phishing. The top six scams to be vigilant of: AI voice impersonation scams Term deposit investment scams Remote access scams using chat Romance scams Ticket scams QR code phishing scams NAB has reported a significant rise in AI voice scams, emphasizing the need for heightened vigilance in 2024. These scams can be created with as little as three seconds of audio sources from social media posts, voicemails or videos on websites. It is crucial to stay vigilant and promptly report any red flags. NAB has implemented a comprehensive bank-wide strategy to address the global scam epidemic. Make sure to read through it and ensure you are familiar with all the key points! Cisco says critical Unity Connection bug lets attackers get root Date: None Author: Bleeping Computer [Please also see AUSCERT bulletins: https://portal.auscert.org.au/bulletins/ESB-2024.0247 and https://portal.auscert.org.au/bulletins/ESB-2024.0249 ] Cisco has patched a critical Unity Connection security flaw that can let unauthenticated attackers remotely gain root privileges on unpatched devices. Unity Connection is a fully virtualized messaging and voicemail solution for email inboxes, web browsers, Cisco Jabber, Cisco Unified IP Phone, smartphones, or tablets with high availability and redundancy support. Ivanti patches two exploited zero-day bugs Date: None Author: iTnews [AUSCERT has identified the impacted members (where possible) and contacted them via email] Ivanti is warning users against two zero-day vulnerabilities in its Connect Secure VPN devices after they were discovered and disclosed by security researchers from Volexity. Volexity spotted the vulnerabilities while analysing a system that was attacked by a group it dubbed “UTA0178”, which it has “reason to believe … is a Chinese nation-state level threat actor”. The bugs, described here, comprise an authentication bypass and a command injection bug, which can be chained together. Critical Xwiki vulnerability risks RCE attacks Date: None Author: Cyber News Xwiki, an application development platform, has a critical vulnerability that could open it up for remote code execution (RCE) attacks. Xwiki is vulnerable to remote code execution (RCE) attacks through its user registration feature. The vulnerability, tracked as CVE-2024-21650 allows an attacker to execute arbitrary code by crafting malicious payloads in the “first name” or “last name” fields during user registration. Ivanti warns critical EPM bug lets hackers hijack enrolled devices Date: None Author: Bleeping Computer [AUSCERT has identified the impacted members (where possible) and contacted them via email] Ivanti fixed a critical remote code execution (RCE) vulnerability in its Endpoint Management software (EPM) that can let unauthenticated attackers hijack enrolled devices or the core server. Ivanti EPM helps manage client devices running a wide range of platforms, from Windows and macOS to Chrome OS and IoT operating systems. The security flaw (tracked as CVE-2023-39366) impacts all supported Ivanti EPM versions, and it has been resolved in version 2022 Service Update 5. Cybersecurity trends and challenges to watch out for in 2024 Date: None Author: We Live Security What are some of the key cybersecurity trends that people and organizations should have on their radars this year? As 2024 dawns, it's time to look ahead to the challenges that are set to face people and organizations across the world this year. In this week's video, ESET Chief Security Evangelist Tony Anscombe looks at: how the upcoming presidential election in the US comes into play why small and medium-sized businesses in particular should be on their guard the ransomware landscape the AI cybersecurity conundrum expected developments in cybersecurity legislation Android’s January 2024 Security Update Patches 58 Vulnerabilities Date: None Author: Security Week [Please also see AUSCERT bulletin: https://portal.auscert.org.au/bulletins/ESB-2024.0092] The first part of Android’s January 2024 update, which arrives on devices as the 2024-01-01 security patch level, addresses ten security holes in the Framework and System components, all rated ‘high severity’. “The most severe of these issues is a high security vulnerability in the Framework component that could lead to local escalation of privilege with no additional execution privileges needed,” Google notes in its advisory. ESB-2024.0219 – ALERT Security Director Insights: CVSS (Max): 10.0 Juniper Networks has released Security Director Insights 23.1R1 to address critical vulnerabilities in 3rd party libraries. Juniper Networks has also released information on how to mitigate the issues. ESB-2024.0149 – Splunk Enterprise Security: CVSS (Max): 9.8 Splunk Enterprise Security Third-Party Package Updates for January 2024 fix common vulnerabilities and exposures identified in Third Party Packages. Splunk administrators are urged to update Splunk Enterprise Security to versions 7.1.2, 7.2.0, 7.3.0 or higher. ASB-2024.0008 – Microsoft Windows Products: CVSS (Max): 9.0* Microsoft's first patch update for the new year resolves 40 vulnerabilities across Windows and Windows Server. This includes two critical Security Feature Bypass and Remote Code Execution flaws. ESB-2024.0249 – ALERT Cisco Unity Connection: CVSS (Max): 7.3 Cisco Systems has released patches to address a critical vulnerability in the Unity Connection unified messaging and voicemail solution. This vulnerability, identified as CVE-2024-20272, has the potential to be remotely exploited without authentication. If successfully exploited, it could allow unauthorized individuals to upload arbitrary files, execute commands on the underlying operating system, and gain elevated privileges to root. ESB-2024.0171 – Adobe Substance 3D Stager: CVSS (Max): 5.5 Adobe has recently released an update for Adobe Substance 3D Stager that targets and resolves significant vulnerabilities. These vulnerabilities, if successfully exploited, could result in memory leaks and the execution of arbitrary code within the current user's context. It is highly recommended to install this update to ensure the security and stability of Adobe Substance 3D Stager. Stay safe, stay patched and have a good weekend! The AUSCERT team