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

Greetings, As the calendar turns the page to the dawn of 2024 a sense of excitement and anticipation fills the air. The arrival of the new year symbolises a journey towards development and progression for every one of us. We stand prepared to embrace new challenges, learn from the past and propel ourselves forward into an era of growth and prosperity. Just as individuals set resolutions for the new year to pursue good health and fortune, businesses must also create resolutions for improved cybersecurity practices. In our rapidly evolving digital ecosystem, the year ahead promises both ground-breaking strides and the continuous evolution of technology advancements. As organisations gear up to defend against ever-more-sophisticated cyber threats, the role of artificial intelligence and machine learning has elevated threats to new heights. Collaboration is a cornerstone in the cyber realm, as information sharing among industries, governments, and security communities becomes integral to staying one step ahead of cyber threats. The exchange of threat intelligence, best practices and incident response strategies becomes integral to creating a resilient defence ecosystem. The start of 2024 emphasizes the need for a united front against cyber-attacks, as threats become increasingly borderless and interconnected. Therefore our theme for AUSCERT2024 is “Pay it Forward,” as it highlights the importance of passing it forward by demonstrating how shared knowledge and collaboration can create a ripple effect, strengthening the entire field of cyber security. Cyber Conferences serve as an invaluable platform to cultivate new relationships, establish improved communication channels, and facilitate information sharing across organisations and the broader community. Join us at AUSCERT2024 and discover the power of amplifying your impact in the realm of cyber security. The theme for this year highlights the significant influence that everyone’s action can carry within the broader cyber community. We are already hard at work, developing a ground-breaking program of tutorials and presentations, so keep your eyes peeled for more updates. Please note Call for Presentations closes on the 29th of January. We encourage you to submit as soon as possible! Critical Apache OFBiz Vulnerability in Attacker Crosshairs Date: 2024-01-29 Author: Security Week [Please also see AUSCERT bulletin: ASB-2024.0001.2 ] The Shadowserver Foundation has been seeing attempts to exploit a critical vulnerability affecting the Apache OFBiz open source enterprise resource planning (ERP) system. Apache OFBiz is leveraged by several ERP and other types of projects, including the widely used Atlassian Jira issue tracking and project management software. The nonprofit cybersecurity organization Shadowserver reported seeing signs of in-the-wild exploitation for an Apache OFBiz vulnerability tracked as CVE-2023-49070 shortly after details of a different OFBiz bug, CVE-2023-51467, were disclosed by SonicWall. Barracuda Zero-Day Used to Target Government, Tech Organizations in US, APJ Date: 2024-01-28 Author: Security Week [ AUSCERT has shared the indicators of compromise associated with CVE-2023-7102 through MISP.] The recently disclosed vulnerability affecting Barracuda Email Security Gateway (ESG) appliances has been exploited as a zero-day to target government, high-tech and IT organizations, according to Mandiant. The ESG vulnerability, tracked as CVE-2023-7102, is an arbitrary code execution flaw impacting ‘Spreadsheet::ParseExcel’, an open source library used by ESG devices to check Excel email attachments for malware Victoria State's court suffers 'unsettling' and 'distressing' cyber hack Date: 2024-01-02 Author: 9 News Victoria's court system has confirmed that it suffered a cyberattack, with bosses admitting it could be "unsettling" and "distressing" for those affected. Court Services Victoria said "unauthorised access" was gained to the courts audiovisual technology network just before Christmas. It means hackers have got hold of some video and audio recordings as well as transcriptions of court proceedings from between November 1 and December 21. Mandiant’s account on X hacked to push cryptocurrency scam Date: 2024-01-03 Author: Bleeping Computer The Twitter account of American cybersecurity firm and Google subsidiary Mandiant was hijacked earlier today to impersonate the Phantom crypto wallet and share a cryptocurrency scam. "We are aware of the incident impacting the Mandiant X account and are working to resolve the issue," a Mandiant spokesperson told BleepingComputer. The law enforcement operations targeting cybercrime in 2023 Date: 2024-01-01 Author: Bleeping Computer In 2023, we saw numerous law enforcement operations targeting cybercrime operations, including cryptocurrency scams, phishing attacks, credential theft, malware development, and ransomware attacks. While some of these operations were more successful than others, law enforcement has been increasingly using hack-back tactics to infiltrate operations and disrupt them. 21 New Mac Malware Families Emerged in 2023 Date: 2024-01-03 Author: Security Week A total of 21 new malware families designed to target macOS systems were discovered in 2023, according to Patrick Wardle, a researcher specializing in the security of Apple devices. Wardle has published a blog post analyzing the new malware families that emerged last year and the total number represents an increase of over 50% compared to 2022. For each of the new malware families, Wardle’s blog describes the infection vector, persistence mechanism, features, and purpose. Malware samples have also been made available. ASB-2024.0001 – Apache OFBiz AUSCERT has recently issued its initial ASB for the year, which highlights an important security concern. The bulletin addresses an Authentication Bypass vulnerability, identified as CVE-2023-51467, affecting Apache OfBiz. To ensure the safety of your systems, AUSCERT strongly advises its members who utilize OfBiz to promptly update to the recommended version. ESB-2024.0093 – Google Chrome: CVSS (Max): None Several vulnerabilities have been discovered in Google Chrome. These vulnerabilities have the potential to be exploited by remote attackers, leading to remote code execution and denial of service of the affected system. Google has released patches to mitigate these issues. ESB-2024.0092 – Android: CVSS (Max): 9.8* Multiple vulnerabilities have been identified in Android devices, with one of the most critical being a high-security vulnerability found in the Framework component. This particular vulnerability has the potential to result in a local escalation of privilege, requiring no additional execution privileges. It is crucial to address this issue promptly to ensure the security of the Android devices. ESB-2024.0096 – IBM Cloud Pak System Software: CVSS (Max): 9.8 IBM has recently released an advisory reporting a vulnerability in its WebSphere Application Server Pattern which can impact IBM Cloud Pak System. IBM has released updates to address the issue. ESB-2024.0108 – Rockwell Automation FactoryTalk Activation: CVSS (Max): 9.8 An Out-of-Bounds Write flaw has been detected in Rockwell Automation's FactoryTalk Activation Manager, which if exploited could result in an attacker gaining full access to the system. Users of the affected software are strongly recommended to promptly implement the necessary risk mitigations. Stay safe, stay patched and have a good weekend! The AUSCERT team

Greetings, As the final workday is here, we can’t help but reflect on the incredible year we’ve had! AUSCERT2023 stands out as a massive success, featuring world-renowned speakers such as the impressive Rachel Tobac, who shared valuable insights on the importance of social engineering. If you wish to revisit any treasured memories from this year’s conference remember that the recordings are available on our YouTube channel. Fond memories were forged with our valued members across various cities, as we engaged in discussions about our services and exchanged valuable feedback. Notably, celebrating the milestone of turning 30 added another layer of significance to this remarkable year. Our 30 Years 30 Stories campaign, made this even more special as we shared beautiful stories from our valued community, members, and staff. As we persist in our journey of growth and prosperity, we eagerly anticipate what the next year holds for us. Heartfelt thanks to everyone who contributed to making this year truly unforgettable. If you are looking for something interesting to listen to while you wrap up your day, we have released a new episode of ‘Share Today Save Tomorrow’ this week! In episode 29, Anthony sits down with former AUSCERT employee Chris from Cosive to discuss Cyber Threat Intelligence, emphasizing the importance of information and why context matters so much. Also to conclude, a friendly reminder to our members that our 24/7 hotline will remain open if any emergencies arise over the break. We will be staffing it as usual, so please don’t hesitate to reach out! 3CX Urges Customers to Disable Integration Due to Potential Vulnerability Date: 2023-12-18 Author: Security Week [AUSCERT has identified the impacted members (where possible) and contacted them via email] Business communication company 3CX is urging customers to disable SQL database integrations to prevent a vulnerability that occurs in certain configurations. In a security advisory published on Friday, the company revealed that 3CX versions 18 and 20 are impacted by an integration bug. “Only 0.25% of our user base have sequel integrated. It’s an old-style integration meant for an on-premise firewall secured network. Nevertheless, if you are using an SQL database integration, it’s subject potentially to a vulnerability – depending upon the configuration,” the company said. Before you go away for Xmas: You've patched that critical Perforce Server hole, right? Date: 2023-12-19 Author: The Register Four vulnerabilities in Perforce Helix Core Server, including one critical remote code execution bug, should be patched "immediately," according to Microsoft, which spotted the flaws and disclosed them to the software vendor. Perforce Server is a source code management platform used across gaming, government, military, and tech sectors. Microsoft operates GitHub, also a widely used source code management platform, among other services that compete against Perforce. Ivanti releases patches for 13 critical Avalanche RCE flaws Date: 2023-12-20 Author: Bleeping Computer [AUSCERT has identified the impacted members (where possible) and contacted them via email] Ivanti has released security updates to fix 13 critical security vulnerabilities in the company's Avalanche enterprise mobile device management (MDM) solution. Avalanche allows admins to manage over 100,000 mobile devices from a single, central location over the Internet, deploy software, and schedule updates. As Ivanti explained on Wednesday, these security flaws are due to WLAvalancheService stack or heap-based buffer overflow weaknesses reported by Tenable security researchers and Trend Micro's Zero Day Initiative. Google fixes 8th Chrome zero-day exploited in attacks this year Date: 2023-12-20 Author: Bleeping Computer [Please see AUSCERT bulletin: https://portal.auscert.org.au/bulletins/ESB-2023.7619] Google has released emergency updates to fix another Chrome zero-day vulnerability exploited in the wild, the eighth patched since the start of the year. "Google is aware that an exploit for CVE-2023-7024 exists in the wild," a security advisory published Wednesday said. The company fixed the zero-day bug for users in the Stable Desktop channel, with patched versions rolling out worldwide to Windows users (120.0.6099.129/130) and Mac and Linux users (120.0.6099.129) one day after being reported to Google. Microsoft Warns of Storm-0539: The Rising Threat Behind Holiday Gift Card Frauds Date: 2023-12-16 Author: The Hacker News Dec 16, 2023 Newsroom Online Security / Cybercrime Holiday Gift Card Frauds Microsoft is warning of an uptick in malicious activity from an emerging threat cluster it's tracking as Storm-0539 for orchestrating gift card fraud and theft via highly sophisticated email and SMS phishing attacks against retail entities during the holiday shopping season. The goal of the attacks is to propagate booby-trapped links that direct victims to adversary-in-the-middle (AiTM) phishing pages that are capable of harvesting their credentials and session tokens ESB-2023.7574 – Adobe Experience Manager (AEM) Forms on JEE: CVSS (Max): 9.8 Adobe has recently issued security updates for AEM Forms on JEE versions 6.5.19.0 and earlier. These updates address a critical vulnerability that, if exploited, could potentially result in arbitrary code execution. ESB-2023.7491.2 – UPDATE Cisco Products: CVSS (Max): 9.8 Cisco has advised that it is investigating its product line to identify any potential impact from the vulnerability in Apache Struts. As a part of this effort, a table of vulnerable products has been added to the advisory that was initially released on 14 December 2023. ESB-2023.7619 – Google Chrome: CVSS (Max): None Google has released emergency updates to fix a zero-day vulnerability in Google Chrome that may be exploited in the wild. It is strongly recommended to apply these updates to protect against any potential threats. ESB-2023.7573 – Apache Struts: CVSS (Max): 9.8 While F5 products remain unaffected by the Apache Struts vulnerability (CVE-2023-50164), F5 Networks has still released an advisory regarding this vulnerability due to its critical nature. This proactive measure aims to inform and raise awareness among users about the potential risks associated with the vulnerability. ESB-2023.7616 – macOS Sonoma: CVSS (Max): None A session rendering issue has been resolved through improved session tracking in macOS Sonoma 14.2.1. This update addresses the issue where users who share their screen may unintentionally share incorrect content. Stay safe, stay patched and have a good weekend! The AUSCERT team

Greetings, Spear phishing is experiencing a significant surge, marked by a rise in both prevalence and sophistication. Cyber Criminals employ highly targeted techniques to deceive their victims, demonstrating a precision that focuses on specific individuals or organisations. The particularly concerning aspect of these attacks lies in their high success rate, attributed to their effectiveness in appearing genuine. A joint advisory from key nations – Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the United States, highlights the spear phishing techniques employed by the Russian state-based actor, Star Blizzard. This advisory aims to raise awareness regarding the increasingly sophisticated tactics used by cyber adversaries to target individuals and organisations globally. Notably these techniques are commonly directed at sectors such as academia, defence, governmental organisations, NGO’s (Non-Governmental Organisations), and political figures. While Star Blizzard has predominately targeted the UK and US, the advisory serves as a global warning, urging everyone to remain vigilant. The evolving nature of these attacks necessitates a collective effort to stay informed and proactive against the growing threats. The advisory provides valuable insights into spear-phishing campaigns and offers guidance on recognising potential signs of deception. In spear-phishing campaigns, cybercriminals gather detailed information about their targets including names, titles, and relationships. This level of personalisation makes these phishing attempts more convincing and challenging to identify. The perpetrators often impersonate high-ranking executives of trusted individuals within an organisation, manipulating employees into divulging sensitive information or performing actions that could compromise security. The emails appear very legitimate as they often use cloned email templates from the target organisation, increasing the likelihood that recipients will trust and act upon them. This method usually involves social engineering tactics, manipulating human psychology to exploit trust or authority. Attackers may leverage information from social media, organisational information, or other sources to craft convincing and targeted messages. Staying informed about these tactics and remaining vigilant are crucial steps in fortifying defences against such deceptive cyber threats. Empower your employees by allocating resources for training and investing in broader education and awareness initiatives. Head to our website for more information on upcoming training courses for 2024! Adobe Patches 207 Security Bugs in Mega Patch Tuesday Bundle Date: 2023-12-12 Author: Security Week [Please see AUSCERT Bulletins: ESB-2023.7419, ESB-2023.7418, ESB-2023.7413] Adobe warned users on both Windows and macOS systems about exposure to code execution, memory leaks and denial-of-service security issues. Software maker Adobe on Tuesday rolled out fixes for code execution flaws in the enterprise-facing Illustrator, Substance 3D Sampler and After Effects products. Microsoft December 2023 Patch Tuesday fixes 34 flaws, 1 zero-day Date: 2023-12-12 Author: Bleeping Computer [Please see AUSCERT Bulletins: ASB-2023.(0230 – 0235)] Today is Microsoft's December 2023 Patch Tuesday, which includes security updates for a total of 34 flaws and one previously disclosed, unpatched vulnerability in AMD CPUs. While eight remote code execution (RCE) bugs were fixed, Microsoft only rated three as critical. In total, there were four critical vulnerabilities, with one in Power Platform (Spoofing), two in Internet Connection Sharing (RCE), and one in Windows MSHTML Platform (RCE). Critical Vulnerability in popular Java framework Apache Struts2 Date: 2023-12-14 Author: ACSC [Please see AUSCERT bulletin: https://portal.auscert.org.au/bulletins/ESB-2023.7339.2] A Critical RCE vulnerability has been found in the Apache Struts2 Framework with ‘flawed file upload logic’. This can allow a temporary file upload to instead be uploaded to any directories and allow execution, such as the deployment of a web shell. Patches have been released for the framework itself, but mitigation will also require vendors applying these patches in all applications which use the framework. This includes multiple enterprise-oriented web applications. Exploitation attempts have been observed globally. UniFi devices broadcasted private video to other users’ accounts Date: 2023-12-15 Author: Ars Technica Users of UniFi, the popular line of wireless devices from manufacturer Ubiquiti, are reporting receiving private camera feeds from, and control over, devices belonging to other users, posts published to social media site Reddit over the past 24 hours show. “Recently, my wife received a notification from UniFi Protect, which included an image from a security camera,” one Reddit user reported. “However, here's the twist—this camera doesn't belong to us.” WordPress 6.4.2 Patches Remote Code Execution Vulnerability Date: 2023-12-08 Author: Security Week WordPress last week released a security update for the popular content management system (CMS) to address a remote code execution (RCE) vulnerability. The flaw addressed in the open source CMS is a property oriented programming (POP) chain issue introduced in WordPress core 6.4. It can be combined with a different object injection flaw, allowing attackers to execute PHP code on vulnerable websites. Apple Ships iOS 17.2 With Urgent Security Patches Date: 2023-12-11 Author: Security Week [Please see AUSCERT Bulletin: https://portal.auscert.org.au/bulletins/ESB-2023.7367] Apple on Monday rolled out security-themed iOS and iPadOS refreshes to address multiple serious vulnerabilities that expose mobile users to malicious hacker attacks. The newest iOS 17.2 and iPadOS 17.2 contains fixes for at least 11 documented security defects, some serious enough to lead to arbitrary code execution or app sandbox escapes. ASB-2023.0230 – ALERT Microsoft Windows: CVSS (Max): 8.8 Microsoft has released its monthly security patch update for December 2023 which resolves 25 vulnerabilities in Windows and Windows Server. ESB-2023.7367 – iOS 17.2 and iPadOS 17.2: CVSS (Max): 7.1* The newest iOS 17.2 and iPadOS 17.2 rollout addresses a number of security issues , some serious enough to lead to arbitrary code execution or app sandbox escapes. ESB-2023.7339.2 – UPDATE Apache Struts: CVSS (Max): None A Critical RCE vulnerability has been found in the Apache Struts2 which has been exploited in the wild. Patches have been released and it is strongly recommended that IT Administrators take immediate action to apply these patches and ensure the security of their systems. ESB-2023.7344 – WordPress: CVSS (Max): None WordPress has released WordPress 6.4.2. for the popular content management system to address a remote code execution vulnerability. Site owners and administrators are advised to update to the fixed CMS version as soon as possible. ESB-2023.7413 – Adobe Illustrator: CVSS (Max): 7.8 Adobe has released an update for Adobe Illustrator 2023 and 2024. This update resolves critical vulnerabilities that could lead to arbitrary code execution. Stay safe, stay patched and have a good weekend! The AUSCERT team