Publications

Cyber Leaders Network: Terms and Conditions Version 1.0 (11 July 2024)   At the core of the Cyber Leaders Network is a commitment to fostering a collaborative and respectful environment for all members. These T&C’s outline the principles and expectations that guide our interactions. This is a living document and may be subject to revisions as the initiative evolves. Mission Statement The Cyber Leaders Network is a group of like-minded cybersecurity professionals that regularly meet, under the coordination and organisation of The University of Queensland (UQ) and AUSCERT, to share best practices and exchange ideas on all cybersecurity matters. The Network functions as a trusted, collaborative, and multi-disciplinary ecosystem, bringing together cyber-professionals with varying degrees of experience in the field, to nurture the development of future leaders. Our primary objective is to provide comprehensive, evidence-based resources while fostering the exchange of best practices and innovative ideas. For this purpose, the Network is vendor and technology agnostic. Participant’s engagement with, and participation in, the Network, stems from the two-fold perspective of seeking personal/professional enrichment and mentoring and leveraging the experience for the betterment of the cybersecurity practices in their workplaces. Code of Conduct Inclusivity: The Cyber Leaders Network is committed to creating an inclusive environment that values and respects the unique perspectives and backgrounds of all participants. Discrimination and exclusion are strictly prohibited. It embraces a culture that encourages active participation from all members regardless of role, experience, or any other factor. Everyone’s insights contribute to the collective success of the network. Respectful Communication: Treat all members with courtesy and professionalism, both in-person and in digital communications. Avoid offensive language, personal attacks, or any behaviour that may create a hostile environment. Members are to demonstrate respect by actively listening to other perspectives, even if they differ from their own. Open dialogue is encouraged. Collaboration and Participation: Members in the Network are expected to maximise their attendance to the events, to bring value to the initiative. In case of the inability to attend an event, the Network member can delegate attendance to a suitable work colleague. Shared knowledge, insights, and resources for the benefit of the entire Cyber Leaders Network can only be pursued through collaboration. Feedback shall be focused on constructive and supportive language. For example, creative critique of ideas, as opposed to individuals, whilst aiming to offer solutions and alternatives. Professional Integrity: Act with transparency and honesty in interactions within the Cyber Leaders Network. Disclose any potential conflicts of interest that may impact the integrity of discussions or decisions within the Network. Uphold ethical values by abiding by legal and ethical standards in all activities related to the Network. Avoid engaging in any actions that could compromise the trust and credibility of the Cyber Leaders Network. The Chatham House Rule Applies: When a workshop, coffee catch-up, or other related meeting is held under the Chatham House Rule, members are free to use the information received, but neither the identity nor the affiliation of the speaker(s), nor that of any other participant, may be revealed. By participating in the Cyber Leaders Network as a member, you accept these terms and conditions. As a member you also commit to upholding all principles and contributing to a positive and inclusive Network focused on advancing cybersecurity leadership. Violations of this Code of Conduct may result in the coordination team re-considering membership and participation. Payment AUSCERT/UQ will provide a Tax Invoice to the member upon finalisation of registration and payment. Or if requested, a tax invoice prior to payment can be provided. Registration and participation in the network will be confirmed upon receipt of full membership fee payment. Fees, Cancellations & Refunds Membership is an annual fee. This period commences from the first workshop which will be scheduled in Q4 2024. AUSCERT/UQ reserves the right to cancel workshops and other informal catch-ups due to unforeseen circumstances and will provide participants with written notice in such circumstances. However, 4 workshops and 4 ‘coffee catch-ups’ a year are guaranteed to be delivered to the network. If a workshop or other event offered by the Network cannot be attended, no refund is given. AUSCERT/UQ is not responsible for any expenses that may have been incurred in attending or related to the attendance of any Cyber Leader event. Intellectual Property Rights IP produced by the members of the Network remains the property of the Network itself. Members can use such IP for professional purposes within their organisation (e.g., for training and awareness purposes; for best practice sharing; etc.), but cannot use the IP for commercial purposes (e.g., re-selling the IP). Further IP arrangements will be discussed during the initial stages of the Network creation, for the Network members to be able to contribute their views. Privacy Any personal information provided to AUSCERT/UQ will be subject to UQ’s Privacy Management Policy, which can be viewed here. More information on privacy in relation to AUSCERT/UQ can be obtained from the Right to Information and Privacy Office here. The member consents to AUSCERT taking photographs and videos of the services associated with membership, which may include images of the member and agrees that AUSCERT can use those images in the ordinary course of its business. If a participant wishes to opt out of this consent, they can inform the coordination team beforehand.

Greetings, This week, we published the AUSCERT2024 recordings! To re-live your favourite sessions, head to our YouTube channel to watch them. We featured many exciting sessions that made the event truly unforgettable. This year, the conference focused on industry technology, modernizing infrastructure, data governance, and the legal aspects of cyber security. One highlight to revisit is the live Risky Biz recording with Adam Boileau and Patrick Gray, in which they discussed some very interesting topics. MISP was another hot topic, with our Senior Security Systems Administrator, Josh Hopkins, leading a session on modernising MISP by applying Infrastructure as Code principles to your MISP services. Data governance was another significant focus at AUSCERT2024. In Trinity McNicol’s session, she explored how organisations can manage data-related risks, protect data assets, leverage data for decision-making, meet consumer privacy expectations, and ensure compliance with data protection legislation. Cyber security frameworks can also help organisations understand their cyber health and improve overall resilience. The Cyber Health Check Program Panel discussion went beyond theory, offering real-world case studies that highlight successful cyber security enhancements. Watch as the team embarks on an enlightening exploration of cyber security framework essentials. Piotr Kijewski’s session provided an overview of how Shadowserver functions as a large-scale information collection and sharing project, collaborating with the global Internet defender community. Piotr described their recent journey in search of sustainability and concluded with their vision of continuing the mission to raise the bar on global cyber security without compromising their principles of free threat intelligence sharing. Darren Kitchen’s session was a highly anticipated keynote, in which he shared tales of device deception from nearly 20 years of experience with Hak5. He discussed the innovative implants and deceptive devices equipping red teams worldwide. Darren’s successful penetration tests have resulted in a multitude of real-world stories that proved effective. We concluded with a captivating Speed Debate featuring exciting, witty, and comical topics. Watch this session for a good laugh! The Cyber Security Conference actively focuses on community, value, and upskilling the workforce in a fun and inclusive environment. This year was no exception, with around 900 delegates attending across the four days. We can’t wait for next year, but in the meantime we have the videos to keep us entertained! Google Patches 25 Android Flaws, Including Critical Privilege Escalation Bug Date: 2024-07-02 Author: Security Week [Please also see AUSCERT bulletin: https://portal.auscert.org.au/bulletins/ESB-2024.4145/] Google has released patches for 25 documented security vulnerabilities in the Android operating system, including a critical-severity flaw in the Framework component. The critical bug, tracked as CVE-2024-31320, impacts Android versions 12 and 12L and allows an attacker to escalate privileges on a vulnerable device. “The most severe of these issues is a critical security vulnerability in the Framework component that could lead to local escalation of privilege with no additional execution privileges needed,” Google explains in an advisory. Cisco warns of NX-OS zero-day exploited to deploy custom malware Date: 2024-07-01 Author: Bleeping Computer [Please also see AUSCERT bulletin: https://portal.auscert.org.au/bulletins/ESB-2024.4143/] Cisco has patched an NX-OS zero-day exploited in April attacks to install previously unknown malware as root on vulnerable switches. Cybersecurity firm Sygnia, who reported the incidents to Cisco, linked the attacks to a Chinese state-sponsored threat actor it tracks as Velvet Ant. "Sygnia detected this exploitation during a larger forensic investigation into the China-nexus cyberespionage group we are tracking as Velvet Ant," Amnon Kushnir, Director of Incident Response at Sygnia, told BleepingComputer. Splunk Patches High-Severity Vulnerabilities in Enterprise Product Date: 2024-07-02 Author: Security Week [Please also see AUSCERT bulletin: https://portal.auscert.org.au/bulletins/ESB-2024.4152/] Splunk on Monday announced patches for 16 vulnerabilities in Splunk Enterprise and Cloud Platform, including six high-severity bugs. Three of the high-severity issues are remote code execution flaws that require authentication for successful exploitation. The first of them, tracked as CVE-2024-36985, could be exploited by a low-privileged user through a lookup that likely references the ‘splunk_archiver’ application. The issue affects Splunk Enterprise versions 9.2.x, 9.1.x, and 9.0.x. New regreSSHion OpenSSH RCE bug gives root on Linux servers Date: 2024-07-01 Author: Bleeping Computer [Please also see AUSCERT bulletin: https://portal.auscert.org.au/bulletins/ASB-2024.0121/] A new OpenSSH unauthenticated remote code execution (RCE) vulnerability dubbed "regreSSHion" gives root privileges on glibc-based Linux systems. OpenSSH is a suite of networking utilities based on the Secure Shell (SSH) protocol. It is extensively used for secure remote login, remote server management and administration, and file transfers via SCP and SFTP. The flaw, discovered by researchers at Qualys in May 2024, and assigned the identifier CVE-2024-6387, is due to a signal handler race condition in sshd that allows unauthenticated remote attackers to execute arbitrary code as root. Juniper releases out-of-cycle fix for max severity auth bypass flaw Date: 2024-06-30 Author: Bleeping Computer [See AUSCERT bulletin: https://portal.auscert.org.au/bulletins/ESB-2024.4117/] Juniper Networks has released an emergency update to address a maximum severity vulnerability that leads to authentication bypass in Session Smart Router (SSR), Session Smart Conductor, and WAN Assurance Router products. The security issue is tracked as CVE-2024-2973 and an attacker could exploit it to take full control of the device. Gov launches 'overdue' cyber security network for health sector Date: 2024-07-01 Author: iTnews Mirroring a model already used in the financial and critical infrastructure sectors, the pilot Information Sharing and Analysis Centre (ISAC) will focus on “cyber threats, responses and preventative measures” among health organisations. Minister for Home Affairs and cyber security Clare O’Neil said healthcare organisations’ “access to sensitive data”, and their “struggle with building and funding strong cyber protections”, had made them a threat target. “The last two years has been the beginning of a big, overdue national journey to lift up cyber security across the country to better protect our citizens,” she said in a statement. ESB-2024.4245 – PHP: CVSS (Max): 9.8 Ubuntu has fixed a vulnerability in PHP. The update caused a regression in parsing XML in Ubuntu 16.04 LTS and Ubuntu 18.04 LTS. ESB-2024.4211 – python-Js2Py: CVSS (Max): 9.6 SUSE has released an update that solves a vulnerability for a potential sandbox escape via untrusted JavaScript code. ESB-2024.4144.2 – OpenSSH: CVSS (Max): 8.1 OpenSSH incorrectly handled signal management which could allow an attacker to bypass authentication and remotely access systems without proper credentials. Fixes were released to patch this vulnerability. ESB-2024.4164 – Splunk Enterprise: CVSS (Max): 9.8 Splunk remedied common vulnerabilities and exposures (CVEs) in Third Party Packages in Splunk Enterprise versions 9.2.1, 9.1.4, 9.0.9 and higher. ESB-2024.4174 – mySCADA myPRO: CVSS (Max): 9.8 mySCADA released an update for myPRO to address a vulnerability that could allow an attacker to remotely execute code on affected devices. Stay safe, stay patched and have a good weekend! The AusCERT team

Greetings, Events this week underscored the critical importance of staying updated on the latest cyber security threats and trends. Australia’s proactive approach to implementing security measures and educating the community plays a crucial role in mitigating risks and enhancing overall cyber resilience. The week began with an alert from the Australian Cyber Security Centre (ACSC) highlighting increased cyber threat activity targeting Snowflake customers. Businesses and critical infrastructure in Australia were advised to bolster their security measures and remain vigilant against potential attacks. Many organisations applied Microsoft's June 2024 Patch Tuesday updates, which addressed 51 vulnerabilities, including 18 critical remote code execution flaws. Addressing these vulnerabilities promptly helps organisations mitigate the risks associated with commonly used applications and systems. In other news, a Wednesday court filing provided some details about the September 2022 Optus data breach, from the perspective of Australia's Communications and Media Authority (ACMA). ACMA is leveraging its regulatory powers to pursue Optus, alleging that the company failed to adequately protect personally identifiable customer information, including failing to fix an identified coding error in all of its Internet-visible APIs and to continue to operate a vulnerable API for two years despite there being no need for its operation. The filing states that “The cyber attack was not highly sophisticated nor did it require advanced skills or proprietary knowledge of Optus's processes or systems. It was executed through a simple process of trial and error,”. ACMA is seeking civil penalties in the case. Singtel, the parent company of Optus, has advised investors that it cannot determine the quantum of penalties but will defend the case. This incident exemplifies how regulatory bodies are intensifying their efforts to hold organisations accountable for failing to adhere to appropriate practices in safeguarding personal information. Ensure your organisation is compliant with the necessary regulatory standards. If you need assistance in analysing your organisation's cyber security maturity level, contact our team at – grc@auscert.org.au. Cyber threats surge during Australia's EOFY tax season Date: 2024-06-25 Author: Security Brief As the end of the financial year (EOFY) approaches in Australia, organisations and individuals find themselves preoccupied with tax returns, financial statements, and compliance reports. This busy period also brings with it a heightened risk of cyber threats, creating a favourable environment for scammers and cybercriminals. Analysts have noted an uptick in seasonal cyber activities during the EOFY period, exploiting the chaos and urgency associated with tax-related activities. The most common threats include phishing scams, ransomware, business email compromise (BEC), and identity theft. If you're using Polyfill.io code on your site – like 100,000+ are – remove it immediately Date: 2024-06-25 Author: The Register [AUSCERT has identified the impacted members (where possible) and contacted them via email] The polyfill.io domain is being used to infect more than 100,000 websites with malware after a Chinese organization bought the domain earlier this year. Multiple security firms sounded the alarm on Tuesday, warning organizations whose websites use any JavaScript code from the pollyfill.io domain to immediately remove it. The site offered polyfills – useful bits of JavaScript code that add functionality to older browsers that is built into newer versions. These in-fills make life easier for developers in that by using polyfillers, they know their web code will work across a greater range of browsers. Progress quietly fixes MOVEit auth bypass flaws (CVE-2024-5805, CVE-2024-5806) Date: 2024-06-25 Author: Help Net Security [AUSCERT has identified the impacted members (where possible) and contacted them via email] Progress Software has patched one critical (CVE-2024-5805) and one high-risk (CVE-2024-5806) vulnerability in MOVEit, its widely used managed file transfer (MFT) software product. According to WatchTowr Labs researchers, the company has been privately instructing users to implement the hotfixes before they go public with the information. Hacker Claims Theft of 30M User Records From Australia Ticketing Company TEG Date: 2024-06-24 Author: Security Week A threat actor is boasting on a hacking forum the theft of information pertaining to millions of Ticketek users, roughly three weeks after the company acknowledged a data breach. On May 31, Ticketek Entertainment Group (TEG), an Australia-based live events and ticketing firm, announced that user account information had been compromised after hackers accessed a database stored on a cloud-based platform. “The available evidence at this time indicates that, from a privacy perspective, customer names, dates of birth and email addresses may have been impacted,” TEG said. Backdoor slipped into multiple WordPress plugins in ongoing supply-chain attack Date: 2024-06-25 Author: Ars Technica WordPress plugins running on as many as 36,000 websites have been backdoored in a supply-chain attack with unknown origins, security researchers said on Monday. ESB-2024.4118 – GitLab: CVSS (Max): 9.6* Gitlab has released critical patches for GitLab Community Edition (CE) and Enterprise Edition (EE). ESB-2024.4099 – SQLite: CVSS (Max): 9.8 SQLite could be made to crash or execute arbitrary code. ESB-2024.4076 – OpenVPN: CVSS (Max): 9.8 OpenVPN could allow unintended access to network services. ESB-2024.4073 – git: CVSS (Max): 9.0 Multiple vulnerabilities were found in git, a fast, scalable and distributed revision control system. ESB-2024.4019.2 – Google Chrome: CVSS (Max): None Multiple vulnerabilities have been discovered in Google Chrome, the most severe of which could allow for arbitrary code execution. Stay safe, stay patched and have a good weekend! The AusCERT team

Greetings, We are thrilled to announce the release of another exciting episode of our podcast 'Share Today, Save Tomorrow'! In Episode 35: "Introducing Ivano", Anthony sits down with AUSCERT’s new General Manager, Ivano Bongiovanni, to discuss his career journey and future aspirations for AUSCERT. In the second half, Bek chats with Michael McAlary from AUSCERT about the recent makeover and improved user experience of the AUSCERT Member Portal, as well as future enhancements. Don't miss this insightful conversation! In other news, as a result of the ongoing legal action by the Australian Information Commissioner, more details have been released this week of the 2022 MediBank Private breach. It has been alleged that one of the causes behind the breach was the failure to implement multi-factor authentication (MFA) for authenticating remote access users. The MediBank story coincides with research released by Cisco Talos which links aspects of MFA to approximately half of the incidents investigated in the first quarter of 2024. Talos describes the underlying cause of 25% of incidents being users accepting attacker-originated push notifications, while 21% of incidents were caused by incorrect implementation of MFA solutions. Both of these news stories highlight the critical importance of integrating information security controls across the domains of people, processes, and technology. Security controls are only as effective as the people who design, implement and use them. Regular training and awareness programs ensure that employees understand the importance of security protocols, such as multi-factor authentication (MFA), and know how to respond to security threats. Explore our available training courses to enhance your knowledge of cybersecurity threats. Critical Code Execution Vulnerabilities Patched in VMware vCenter Server Date: 2024-06-18 Author: Security Week [AUSCERT has identified the impacted members (where possible) and contacted them via email] [Please also see AUSCERT bulletin: https://portal.auscert.org.au/bulletins/ESB-2024.3915/] Broadcom-owned VMware has announced patches for several serious vCenter Server vulnerabilities that can allow remote code execution or privilege escalation. Two heap-overflow vulnerabilities, tracked as CVE-2024-37079 and CVE-2024-37080 and classified as having critical severity, impact the implementation of the DCERPC protocol. New Wi-Fi Takeover Attack—All Windows Users Warned To Update Now Date: 2024-06-14 Author: Forbes [Please also see AUSCERT bulletin: https://portal.auscert.org.au/bulletins/ASB-2024.0119/ ] Microsoft has confirmed a new and quite alarming Wi-Fi vulnerability in Windows, which has been rated 8.8 out of 10 in terms of severity using the Common Vulnerability Scoring System. The vulnerability, assigned as CVE-2024-30078, does not require an attacker to have physical access to the targeted computer, although physical proximity is needed. Ransomware Attacks Are Getting Worse Date: 2024-06-15 Author: WIRED Despite years worth of efforts to eliminate the scourge of ransomware targeting schools, hospitals, and critical infrastructure worldwide, experts are warning that the crisis is only heating up, with criminal gangs growing ever more aggressive in their tactics. The threat of real-world violence now looms, some experts warn, as the data stolen grows increasingly sensitive and millions in potential profits hang in the balance. “We know where your CEO lives,” read a message reportedly received by one victim. Attacks targeting the medical sector are blooming in response to the $44 million payout by Change Healthcare this March. Australian businesses targeted in Russia-based phishing campaign Date: 2024-06-14 Author: Cyber Daily A security researcher with Sophos X-Ops – the security company’s threat response team – has outlined a widespread phishing campaign based in Russia that targeted almost 800 businesses, individuals, and even elections. Throughout late 2023, a campaign that appears to have originated in Russia sent out more than 2,000 phishing emails in an attempt to steal login credentials and money via gift card scams. Hackers use F5 BIG-IP malware to stealthily steal data for years Date: 2024-06-17 Author: Bleeping Computer A group of suspected Chinese cyberespionage actors named 'Velvet Ant' are deploying custom malware on F5 BIG-IP appliances to gain a persistent connection to the internal network and steal data. According to a Sygnia report who discovered the intrusion after they were called in to investigate the cyberattack, Velvet Ant established multiple footholds using various entry points across the network, including a legacy F5 BIG-IP appliance that served as an internal command and control (C2) server. ESB-2024.3915 – VMware Products: CVSS (Max): 9.8 Broadcom has issued a security patch for VMware vCenter Server, a widely-used management platform, to fix critical and high-severity vulnerabilities such as CVE-2024-37079, CVE-2024-37080, and CVE-2024-37081. AUSCERT has identified the affected members and issued a critical MSIN accordingly. ASB-2024.0119 – Windows Wi-Fi Driver: CVSS (Max): 8.8 Microsoft has acknowledged a significant Wi-Fi vulnerability in Windows, which has received a severity rating of 8.8 out of 10. Designated as CVE-2024-30078, this vulnerability does not necessitate physical access to the targeted computer but does require physical proximity. ESB-2024.3833 – Google Chrome: CVSS (Max): None Mozilla has addressed a critical CVE where, under certain conditions, a malicious website could attempt to display a fake location URL in the address bar, potentially misleading users about the actual website they are visiting. This vulnerability affects Firefox for iOS. ASB-2024.0120 – Trellix IPS Manager: CVSS (Max) 9.8 Trellix has patched a critical security vulnerability in its Intrusion Prevention System (IPS) Manager, tracked as CVE-2024-5671. This flaw, caused by insecure deserialization in certain workflows, could allow unauthenticated remote attackers to execute arbitrary code, posing a severe risk to network security. ESB-2024.3912 – Atlassian Products: CVSS (Max) 8.2 Atlassian has fixed 9 high-severity vulnerabilities to address improper authorization, server-side request forgery and denial of service. Atlassian recommends patching to latest versions to resolve these vulnerabilities. Stay safe, stay patched and have a good weekend! The AUSCERT Team

LISTEN HERE: AUSCERT “Share Today, Save Tomorrow” Introducing Ivano! In this episode, AUSCERT features the following guests: Ivano Bongiovanni, AUSCERT Michael McAlary, AUSCERT Anthony sits down with AUSCERT’s new General Manager, Ivano Bongiovanni to discuss his career journey and future aspirations for AUSCERT. In the second half of the episode, Bek chats with Michael McAlary from AUSCERT to talk about the recent makeover and improved user experience of the AUSCERT Member Portal and future work and improvements. This episode was hosted by Anthony Caruana and Bek Cheb. Our podcasts aim to provide fascinating insights, great stories from the field and lessons you can take back to your workplace. If you have any ideas or suggestions for what we can talk about, please let us know! The AUSCERT podcast can also be found on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and Google Podcasts.

Greetings, This week, the Australian Signals Directorate (ASD) released an update to remind small and medium businesses to assess their cyber health. As we enter a period of heightened threats and attacks, it is crucial that every business is equipped with the appropriate resources and knowledge to ensure they are cyber resilient. For small and medium-sized businesses with limited resources, prioritising the most critical elements of cyber health is essential. Cyber attacks are occurring more frequently, and recovery can be costly, making every Australian business a potential target. In the 2022-23 financial year, the average cost of cybercrime for small businesses increased to $46,000, and for medium businesses, it rose to $97,000. Such costs could potentially destroy a business, driving it into liquidation. Australian small and medium businesses can take practical steps to enhance their cyber security by implementing the Essential Eight, which covers many of the critical elements of cyber health. AUSCERT offers members advice and consultations to help improve their cyber security readiness in alignment with their business objectives. We specialise in helping organisations confidently adhere to industry frameworks, standards, and benchmarks. Our maturity assessments are designed to identify and address cyber security gaps in your organisation. By taking proactive steps, you can enhance your cyber security posture and reduce information security risks. The recent Medibank case should serve as a wake-up call to Australian organisations to invest in their digital defences to meet the challenges of an evolving cyber landscape. All organisations have an ethical duty to protect the personal information they are entrusted with and many have regulatory and contractual obligations as well. The civil penalty proceedings filed by the Australian Information Commissioner against Medibank, in relation to its October 2022 data breach, exemplifies the regulatory body’s commitment to holding parties accountable. The Commissioner claims Medibank failed to take reasonable steps to protect personal information from 9.7 million Australians, in breach of the Privacy Act 1988. This failure led to the release of personal information on the dark web, exposing many Australians to severe negative ramifications. Contact us today for more information on how we can conduct a maturity assessment for your organisation and support you in meeting your business objectives. New PHP Vulnerability Exposes Windows Servers to Remote Code Execution Date: 2024-06-08 Author: The Hacker News [AUSCERT has identified the impacted members (where possible) and contacted them via email] [Please also see AUSCERT bulletin:https://portal.auscert.org.au/bulletins/ASB-2024.0111/] Details have emerged about a new critical security flaw impacting PHP that could be exploited to achieve remote code execution under certain circumstances. The vulnerability, tracked as CVE-2024-4577, has been described as a CGI argument injection vulnerability affecting all versions of PHP installed on the Windows operating system. According to DEVCORE security researcher, the shortcoming makes it possible to bypass protections put in place for another security flaw, CVE-2012-1823. Microsoft Outlook Zero-Click RCE Flaw Executes as Email is Opened Date: 2024-06-12 Author: Cyber Security News [See AUSCERT ASB https://portal.auscert.org.au/bulletins/ASB-2024.0117] A critical zero-click remote code execution (RCE) vulnerability has been discovered in Microsoft Outlook. This vulnerability, designated as CVE-2024-30103, enables attackers to run arbitrary code by sending a specially designed email. When the recipient opens the email, the exploit is triggered. The vulnerability, CVE-2024-30103, is particularly alarming due to its zero-click nature. Unlike traditional phishing attacks that require user interaction, this flaw can be exploited without any action from the user. Google warns of actively exploited Pixel firmware zero-day Date: 2024-06-12 Author: Bleeping Computer Google has released patches for 50 security vulnerabilities impacting its Pixel devices and warned that one of them had already been exploited in targeted attacks as a zero-day. Tracked as CVE-2024-32896, this elevation of privilege (EoP) flaw in the Pixel firmware has been rated a high-severity security issue. Azure Service Tags could allow attackers to access private data Date: 2024-06-04 Author: ThreatDown [Please also see AUSCERT bulletin: https://portal.auscert.org.au/bulletins/ASB-2024.0110/] Security researchers at Tenable have published a blog about what they call a vulnerability in Azure, a description that Microsoft denies. Long story, very short: It’s not a bug, it’s a feature, unless you use it incorrectly. Tenable points out that it’s possible for an attacker to bypass firewall rules based on Azure Service Tags by forging requests from trusted services. Azure Service Tags are intended to simplify network isolation. It allows you to group IP ranges and use them to define network security rules. Exploit for critical Veeam auth bypass available, patch now Date: 2024-06-10 Author: Bleeping Computer A proof-of-concept (PoC) exploit for a Veeam Backup Enterprise Manager authentication bypass flaw tracked as CVE-2024-29849 is now publicly available, making it urgent that admins apply the latest security updates. Veeam Backup Enterprise Manager (VBEM) is a web-based platform for managing Veeam Backup & Replication installations via a web console. It helps control backup jobs and perform restoration operations across an organization's backup infrastructure and large-scale deployments. Veeam issued a security bulletin about the critical flaw on May 21, warning about a critical vulnerability enabling remote unauthenticated attackers to log in to VBEM's web interface as any user. SolarWinds Patches High-Severity Vulnerability Reported by NATO Pentester Date: 2024-06-07 Author: Security Week [AUSCERT has identified the impacted members (where possible) and contacted them via email] SolarWinds this week announced patches for multiple high-severity vulnerabilities in Serv-U and the SolarWinds Platform, including a bug reported by a penetration tester working with NATO. Rolling out as version 2024.2, the latest SolarWinds Platform iteration includes patches for three new security defects, as well as fixes for multiple bugs in third-party components. ASB-2024.0112 – Pytorch: CVSS (Max): 10.0 A significant flaw (CVE-2024-5480) has been unearthed within PyTorch's distributed RPC framework, leaving machine learning models and confidential data vulnerable to potential remote code execution threats. AUSCERT strongly advises PyTorch users to follow the vendor's mitigation recommendations in order to safeguard themselves effectively. ASB-2024.0113 – Microsoft Windows: CVSS (Max): 9.8 During the June 2024 Patch Tuesday, Microsoft rolled out remedies for a critical vulnerability, CVE-2024-30080, concerning MSMQ (Microsoft Message Queuing). This flaw, characterized by a use-after-free vulnerability, exposes MSMQ to potential exploitation by unauthenticated attackers. Through the transmission of a specially crafted malicious MSMQ packet to an MSMQ server, these attackers can achieve remote code execution (RCE). ASB-2024.0115 – Microsoft Azure: CVSS (Max): 8.1 AUSCERT's advisory warns its members regarding a vulnerability in Microsoft Azure. This flaw enables malicious actors to circumvent firewall regulations relying on Azure Service Tags by fabricating requests originating from trusted services. A threat actor could exploit Service Tags authorized by a user's firewall in the absence of supplementary validation controls. ASB-2024.0111.2 – PHP Vulnerability impacting Windows Servers – CVE-2024-4577 A recent advisory from AUSCERT alerted its members to a vulnerability affecting all versions of PHP installed on the Windows operating system. This vulnerability has now been included in CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities Catalog due to evidence of ongoing exploitation. AUSCERT emphasizes the importance of adhering to the vendor's recommended mitigation measures to ensure protection. ESB-2024.3761 – Adobe FrameMaker Publishing Server: CVSS (Max): 10.0 In its latest patch release, Adobe addressed two critical CVEs in its FrameMaker Publishing Server, which could result in privilege escalation. With a CVSS score of 10, it is crucial to apply these patches promptly to ensure protection. ASB-2024.0117 – Microsoft Office, Microsoft Office Services and Web Apps: CVSS (Max): 8.8 A critical zero-click remote code execution (RCE) vulnerability has been identified in Microsoft Outlook which allows attackers to execute arbitrary code through the receipt of a specifically crafted email. Upon opening the email, the exploit is activated. The seriousness of CVE-2024-30103 stems from its zero-click nature. Unlike conventional phishing attempts that rely on user interaction, this flaw can be exploited without any action required from the user. Stay safe, stay patched and have a good weekend! The AUSCERT team

With the tax season just around the corner, AUSCERT is urging individuals to remain vigilant. This period is a prime time for cybercriminals to target unsuspecting individuals through phishing scams. These are typically circulated via various channels, including phishing emails, phone calls, text messages, and even fake websites. Malicious threat actors tend to increase their fraudulent activities utilising various phishing techniques to take advantage of the heightened financial activity during this period. AUSCERT has observed a significant increase in phishing scams impersonating MyGov and the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) during previous tax seasons. From July to October in 2022, AUSCERT received reports of around 1100 tax-related phishing emails and scams, a number that surged to approximately 2500 in 2023. These phishing emails typically impersonate official entities and may contain convincing logos and language to deceive recipients and urge users to click on a link, scan a QR code or download an attachment. The emails also claim that urgent action is required to avoid account suspension, try to trick users about a pending tax refund, highlight issues with a tax return or demand immediate action to avoid penalties. However, clicking on these links can potentially lead to malicious websites that steal Personally Identifiable Information (PII) or sensitive data like user credentials or credit card details. Additionally, clicking on the links may install malware on the user’s device, creating a backdoor for cybercriminals to monitor activities, track user behaviour, and steal login information. To protect yourself from ATO and MyGov related phishing scams during the upcoming tax season, it is crucial to take precautions like: Verify the source: Do not respond to unsolicited emails, text messages, or phone calls claiming to be from the ATO or MyGov. If it is an email, double-check the email address and sender information to confirm authenticity. Remember, the ATO or MyGov will never ask for sensitive information via email or SMS. Before providing any personal information, verify the legitimacy of the request by contacting the ATO or tax professionals through their official channels. Be wary of suspicious calls: If you receive a suspicious call from someone claiming to be from the ATO and demanding payment to receive a tax refund, it is advisable to end the call immediately. Keep in mind that the ATO will not threaten you with immediate arrest or use abusive language. Exercise caution with links and attachments: Avoid clicking on links or downloading attachments from unsolicited emails or text messages. Be cautious of urgent requests: Be wary of emails, text messages and phone calls pressuring you to act quickly or provide personal information. Take the time to verify the legitimacy of the communication. Protect personal information: Avoid sharing personal or financial details in response to emails, phone calls or text messages. Always be careful when providing information online. Report suspicious activity: If you receive a suspicious email claiming to be from the ATO or MyGov, report it to the appropriate authorities, such as the ATO’s scam reporting email address, the ACSC, or IDCARE. Keep software up to date: Ensure that your devices have the latest security updates and antivirus software to protect against malware and phishing attempts. By staying informed and vigilant, and following best practices for online security, individuals can reduce the risk of falling victim to ATO and MyGov related phishing scams during tax season. If you believe that your identity has been compromised or you have fallen a victim to a tax related scam, contact IDCARE on 1800 595 160.   Written by  Senior Information Security Analyst Vishaka 

Greetings, With tax season close, AUSCERT is urging vigilance, as this is a prime time for cybercriminals to target unsuspecting people through phishing scams. These scams are typically circulated via various channels, including emails, phone calls, text messages, and fake websites. Malicious actors often increase their fraudulent activities during this period to take advantage of the heightened financial activity. AUSCERT has observed a significant increase in phishing scams impersonating MyGov and the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) during previous tax seasons. From July to October in 2022, AUSCERT received reports of around 1,100 tax-related phishing emails and scams, surging to approximately 2,500 in 2023. By staying informed and following best practices for online security, individuals can reduce the risk of falling victim to ATO and MyGov-related phishing scams. This week, concerning news emerged in the area of supply chain cyber security. Australian electronic prescription provider MediSecure has gone into administration. This follows a data breach reported in mid-May 2024, in which 6.5 terabytes of prescription data were stolen and leaked on a cybercrime forum. Last week, the Minister for Cyber Security, Clare O’Neil, publicly criticised MediSecure for the "unacceptably long time" it took to provide important information about the stolen customer data. Meanwhile, cloud storage and data analytics company Snowflake was the centre of a data breach impacting several high-profile customers, including Ticketmaster. Described by some in the media as "the world’s biggest data breach — in terms of impacted individuals," this incident underscores how supply chain risks can have far-reaching consequences. It also highlights the importance of understanding and utilising the security controls provided by service providers. Reports suggest that some of Snowflake’s customers were compromised due to single-factor authentication and use of stolen credentials. The best proactive approach to staying ahead of cyber threats is to ensure that you and all members of your organization are equipped with the most relevant knowledge. Stay informed and vigilant by visiting our training website to explore the available courses you can enrol in today! Largest ever operation against botnets hits dropper malware ecosystem Date: 2024-05-30 Author: Europol [AUSCERT has identified the impacted members (where possible) and contacted them via email] Between 27 and 29 May 2024 Operation Endgame, coordinated from Europol’s headquarters, targeted droppers including, IcedID, SystemBC, Pikabot, Smokeloader, Bumblebee and Trickbot. The actions focused on disrupting criminal services through arresting High Value Targets, taking down the criminal infrastructures and freezing illegal proceeds. This approach had a global impact on the dropper ecosystem. The malware, whose infrastructure was taken down during the action days, facilitated attacks with ransomware and other malicious software. AUSCERT warns companies and individuals alike to be aware of tax scams Date: 2024-06-04 Author: Cyber Daily Tax time rolls around every year with the inevitability of death, but while tax and death have long been considered to go oddly hand in hand, the modern, connected world has thrown a third spanner into the mix. Scams. As Australians all over the country turn to their accountants and yearly finances, so do scammers, who relentlessly conjure new ways to bilk victims out of either their personal data or their hard-earned cash. CISA Warns of Attacks Exploiting Old Oracle WebLogic Vulnerability Date: 2024-06-04 Author: Security Week [Please also see AUSCERT bulletin: https://portal.auscert.org.au/bulletins/ASB-2017.0038/] The US cybersecurity agency CISA on Monday added an old Oracle WebLogic flaw to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog after it was seen being exploited by Chinese hackers to deploy cryptocurrency miners. The vulnerability, tracked as CVE-2017-3506, affects Oracle WebLogic Server and allows an unauthenticated attacker to access or modify critical data, enabling arbitrary OS command execution. Attackers can achieve remote code execution via specially crafted HTTP requests. CVE-2024-2876: WordPress Plug-in Threatens 90,000+ websites Date: 2024-06-06 Author: Wallarm [AUSCERT has identified the impacted members (where possible) and contacted them via email] A highly concerning security loophole was recently discovered in a WordPress plugin called "Email Subscribers by Icegram Express," a popular tool utilized by a vast network of over 90,000+ websites. Officially designated as CVE-2024-2876 with a CVSS score of 9.8 (critical), the vulnerability represents a significant threat as it exposes numerous websites to potential attacks. Threat actor compromising Snowflake database customers Date: 2024-05-31 Author: TechTarget [Please see AUSCERT bulletin: https://portal.auscert.org.au/bulletins/ASB-2024.0109] [AUSCERT has also shared IoCs associated with the Snowflake incident via MISP ] A threat actor has breached customers of cloud storage and analytics giant Snowflake by using stolen credentials to access databases, according to cloud security vendor Mitiga. According to a blog post published Thursday, the threat actor, tracked as UNC5537, "has been observed using stolen customer credentials to target organizations utilizing Snowflake databases" to conduct data theft and extortion-related activity. Apache HugeGraph-Server – Remote Command Execution (CVE-2024-27348) – Vulnerability & Exploit Database Date: 2024-06-04 Author: Pentest Tools Vulnerability description Apache HugeGraph-Server is an open-source graph database that provides a scalable and high-performance solution for managing and analyzing large-scale graph data. It is commonly used in Java8 and Java11 environments. However, versions prior to 1.3.0 are vulnerable to a remote command execution (RCE) vulnerability in the gremlin component. Risk description The risk exists that a remote unauthenticated attacker can fully compromise the server to steal confidential information, install ransomware, or pivot to the internal network. ASB-2024.0109.2 – Potentially compromised Snowflake environments A cyber security incident involving Snowflake customer environments has been reported, potentially affecting large companies. ESB-2024.3426.2 – Jenkins Plugins: CVSS (Max): 8.0 Jenkins has discovered vulnerabilities in OpenText Application Automation Tools Plugin, Report Info Plugin, and Team Concert Git Plugin, including stored XSS, XXE attacks, missing permission checks, and path traversal, with fixes available for some plugins. ESB-2024.3544 – Red Hat Enterprise Linux BaseOS AUS (v.8.2): CVSS (Max): 7.8 CISA added Linux Kernel Vulnerability (CVE-2024-1086) to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog, warning that threat actors are targeting it in the wild. ESB-2024.3556 – Android: CVSS (Max): 9.3 The Android Security Bulletin addresses multiple critical vulnerabilities, including severe local privilege escalation issues. Users are urged to update their devices to enhance protection through the latest Android security platform and Google Play Protect measures. Stay safe, stay patched and have a good weekend! The AUSCERT team

Greetings, Following the amazing experience we had last week, the AUSCERT team dove straight back into work this week, leveraging the rich knowledge shared throughout the conference. With many new initiatives and projects on the horizon, our organisation is experiencing significant growth and development. Each year, our key highlight from AUSCERT2024 is reconnecting with members we’ve met before, meeting new ones, and strengthening our community bond. Beyond the cutting-edge education, the conference's vibrant community fostered idea-sharing and facilitated valuable networking opportunities. This year, we decided to give back to the community by donating the proceeds from our speaker gifts to a valuable charity in Australia. We chose RizeUp Australia, a community-driven organisation of passionate people dedicated to supporting families affected by domestic and family violence. RizeUp Australia goes beyond raising awareness through speaking engagements. They have developed various programs to support and empower families via specialist domestic and family violence organisations. Their efforts include helping victims create new homes after fleeing violent situations, supporting children in their healing process, and raising much-needed funds for families who often have nothing but the clothes on their backs. AUSCERT prioritised raising $6,500 to fund a whole house for families impacted by domestic violence. Thanks to the incredible support from our community, we exceeded our goal and raised nearly $10,000, which was directly donated to the RizeUp Foundation. These funds are dedicated to making a tangible difference in the lives of vulnerable individuals. Our mission was to create a significant impact and give back to the community, advocating for change to transform the cultural norms that adversely affect many lives in our nation. Google Patches Fourth Chrome Zero-Day in Two Weeks Date: 2024-05-24 Author: Security Week [Please also see AUSCERT bulletin: https://portal.auscert.org.au/bulletins/ESB-2024.3425/] Google on Thursday rolled out a fresh Chrome update to address another exploited vulnerability in the popular web browser, the fourth zero-day to be patched in two weeks. Tracked as CVE-2024-5274, the high-severity flaw is described as a type confusion in the V8 JavaScript and WebAssembly engine. “Google is aware that an exploit for CVE-2024-5274 exists in the wild,” the internet giant noted in an advisory. Exploit released for maximum severity Fortinet RCE bug, patch now Date: 2024-05-28 Author: Bleeping Computer [Please also see AUSCERT's updated bulletin: https://portal.auscert.org.au/bulletins/ASB-2024.0035.3/] Security researchers have released a proof-of-concept (PoC) exploit for a maximum-severity vulnerability in Fortinet's security information and event management (SIEM) solution, which was patched in February. Tracked as CVE-2024-23108, this security flaw is a command injection vulnerability discovered and reported by Horizon3 vulnerability expert Zach Hanley that enables remote command execution as root without requiring authentication. Remote Code Execution Threatens Qlik Sense Users Date: 2024-05-23 Author: Security Online [AUSCERT has identified the impacted members (where possible) and contacted them via email] Qlik, a prominent player in the data analytics space, has issued a critical security advisory warning users of a high-risk vulnerability (CVE-2024-36077) in their Qlik Sense Enterprise for Windows platform. With a CVSS score of 8.8, this vulnerability could allow attackers to escalate privileges and potentially execute arbitrary code on affected servers, posing a significant threat to data integrity and confidentiality. Check Point releases emergency fix for VPN zero-day exploited in attacks Date: 2024-05-29 Author: Bleeping Computer Check Point has released hotfixes for a VPN zero-day vulnerability exploited in attacks to gain remote access to firewalls and attempt to breach corporate networks. On Monday, the company first warned about a spike in attacks targeting VPN devices, sharing recommendations on how admins can protect their devices. Later, it discovered the source of the problem, a zero-day flaw that hackers exploited against its customers. NVD Leaves Exploited Vulnerabilities Unchecked Date: 2024-05-23 Author: Info Security Magazine A majority of currently exploited software vulnerabilities are missing from the US National Vulnerability Database (NVD), a new VulnCheck report has found. In the report published on May 23, the software security provider showed that 30 out of 59 known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs) registered since February 12 have not yet been analyzed by the NVD team. In total, 50.8% of KEVs are missing critical metadata. More than half a billion customers' details reportedly stolen by notorious hacker Date: 2024-05-29 Author: 9News A notorious hacker has claimed to have stolen the personal data of more than half a billion Ticketmaster customers, likely including Australians. In a widely reported dark web post, hacker ShinyHunters claims to have 1.3 terabytes of data from 560 million global Ticketmaster and Live Nation customers, including names, emails, addresses, phone numbers and the last four digits of credit card numbers. The hacker is selling the data, which could potentially be used to commit identity theft and other types of fraud, for $US500 million (roughly $750 million). ESB-2024.3425.3 – Google Chrome CVSS (Max): 8.8 CISA added CVE-2024-5274 to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities Catalog and advises users to apply mitigations per vendor instructions or discontinue use of the product if mitigations are unavailable. ASB-2024.0035.3 – FortiSIEM Horizon3's Attack Team recently released a proof-of-concept (PoC) exploit and detailed a technical analysis related to CVE-2024-23109 and CVE-2024-23108 affecting FortiSIEM. AUSCERT advises all FortiSIEM 7.1.x users to promptly update to version 7.1.2 to prevent exploitation. ESB-2024.3470 – Citrix Workspace App for Mac CVSS (Max): 7.7 A critical flaw has been discovered in the Mac version of the Citrix Workspace app, which could enable attackers to escalate their privileges from a local authenticated user to a root user. Identified as CVE-2024-5027, this vulnerability presents a serious threat to individuals and businesses that depend on Citrix Workspace for their virtual app and desktop access requirements. ESB-2024.3525 – LenelS2 NetBox CVSS (Max): 9.8 Multiple vulnerabilities have been identified in LenelS2 NetBox. If exploited, these vulnerabilities could enable an attacker to bypass authentication and carry out harmful commands with heightened privileges. ESB-2024.3515 – Google Chrome CVSS (Max): None Google has rolled out an update with 11 security patches for its Stable channel. As a result of this update, the Stable channel has been upgraded to version 125.0.6422.141/.142 for Windows and Mac, and 125.0.6422.141 for Linux. Stay safe, stay patched and have a good weekend! The AUSCERT team

Greetings, What an amazing week it’s been at AUSCERT2024! This week was full of groundbreaking sessions, engaging workshops, and internationally renowned speakers. In addition to our great program of informative sessions, we also focused on important initiatives such as mental health, featuring several activities centred around uplifting mindfulness practices. To start their day, delegates enjoyed a morning stroll together in the Broadbeach sun, walking along the sand as the sun rose. We also offered puppy cuddles to lift attendees' spirits and had an onsite psychologist available for discussions on mental well-being and life coaching. Our "pay it forward" theme provided a platform for speakers to inspire the cyber security industry. Organisations are realising the importance of contributing to the growth and development of the community to propel it forwards. AUSCERT2024 featured keynote sessions by Piotr Kijewski, CEO of the Shadowserver Foundation, a prominent nonprofit dedicated to enhancing cyber security. The foundation is renowned for its comprehensive approach to improving internet security through data collection, analysis, and dissemination. Another highlight was keynote speaker Darren Kitchen, who presented on innovative implants and deceptive devices, equipping red teams around the world. HAK5, the platform he founded, is a significant contributor to the community, producing content that explores hacking tools and various cyber security topics to enhance collective knowledge. To top off a great week, we also released the Year in Review report! The year 2023 has been a period of remarkable achievements and developments. This comprehensive report highlights key successes, accomplishments, and projects undertaken by AUSCERT over the past year. From strategic initiatives and performance to market expansion and operational improvements, this review provides an in-depth analysis of our progress and sets the stage for our future endeavours. Critical GitHub Enterprise Server Flaw Allows Authentication Bypass Date: 2024-05-21 Author: The Hacker News [AUSCERT identified impacted members (where possible) and contacted them via email ] GitHub has rolled out fixes to address a maximum severity flaw in the GitHub Enterprise Server (GHES) that could allow an attacker to bypass authentication protections. Tracked as CVE-2024-4985 (CVSS score: 10.0), the issue could permit unauthorized access to an instance without requiring prior authentication. "On instances that use SAML single sign-on (SSO) authentication with the optional encrypted assertions feature, an attacker could forge a SAML response to provision and/or gain access to a user with administrator privileges," the company said in an advisory. Ivanti Patches Critical Code Execution Vulnerabilities in Endpoint Manager Date: 2024-05-22 Author: Security Week [AUSCERT utilized third-party search engines to identify and alert any impacted members] IT software company Ivanti on Tuesday announced patches for several products, including fixes for critical vulnerabilities in Endpoint Manager (EPM). Six out of the ten security defects resolved in EPM are critical-severity SQL Injection bugs that could allow an unauthenticated attacker on the network to execute arbitrary code, Ivanti says. Unauthenticated Attackers Can Hijack 400K+ WordPress Sites via Fluent Forms Bug (CVE-2024-2771) Date: 2024-05-20 Author: Security Online [AUSCERT utilized third-party search engines to identify and alert any impacted members] Fluent Forms, a popular WordPress plugin with over 400,000 active installations, has been found to contain multiple critical security vulnerabilities, leaving websites at risk of exploitation. The vulnerabilities, tracked as CVE-2024-4709, CVE-2024-2771, and CVE-2024-2782, range from cross-site scripting (XSS) to unauthorized access and privilege escalation, potentially allowing attackers to compromise websites and steal sensitive data. Atlassian Patches RCE Flaw in Confluence Data Center and Server Date: 2024-05-21 Author: Security Online [AUSCERT identified the impacted members (where possible) and contacted them via email] Atlassian, a leading provider of collaboration and productivity software, has urgently addressed a remote code execution (RCE) vulnerability in its Confluence Data Center and Server products. Tracked as CVE-2024-21683, this flaw could allow authenticated attackers to seize control of affected systems, potentially leading to data breaches and operational disruptions. Veeam warns of critical Backup Enterprise Manager auth bypass bug Date: 2024-05-21 Author: Bleeping Computer [AUSCERT utilized third-party search engines to identify and alert any impacted members] Veeam warned customers today to patch a critical security vulnerability that allows unauthenticated attackers to sign into any account via the Veeam Backup Enterprise Manager (VBEM). VBEM is a web-based platform that enables administrators to manage Veeam Backup & Replication installations via a single web console. It helps control backup jobs and perform restoration operations across an organization's backup infrastructure and large-scale deployments. ESB-2024.3251 – VMware Products CVSS (Max): 8.1 VMware has issued a security advisory to address vulnerabilities in multiple VMware products. These vulnerabilities, if exploited, could enable attackers to run malicious code on host systems from within a virtual machine, presenting significant security threats to numerous organizations globally. ESB-2024.3252 – Atlassian Products CVSS (Max): 9.8 Atlassian has identified numerous vulnerabilities in its range of products, comprising 35 high-severity vulnerabilities and 2 critical-severity vulnerabilities. These issues have been addressed and resolved in the latest versions of the products. ESB-2024.3232 – Google Chrome CVSS (Max): None Google has introduced a Chrome 125 update that addresses six vulnerabilities, including four high-severity bugs identified by external researchers. The most recent Chrome release is currently being distributed as version 125.0.6422.76 for Linux, and as versions 125.0.6422.76/.77 for Windows and macOS. ESB-2024.3354 – Cisco Firepower Management Center (FMC) CVSS (Max): 8.8 A vulnerability in the web-based management interface of Cisco Firepower Management Center (FMC) Software could enable an authenticated, remote attacker to carry out SQL injection attacks on a compromised system. This issue arises due to inadequate validation of user input within the web-based management interface. Stay safe, stay patched and have a good weekend! The AusCERT team

The year 2023 has been a period of remarkable achievements and developments. This comprehensive report highlights the key successes, accomplishments, and projects undertaken by AUSCERT over the past year. From strategic initiatives and performance to market expansion and operational improvements, this review provides an in-depth analysis of our progress and sets the stage for our future endeavours. Contents  Foreword by Dr. David Stockdale Membership Overview Incident Support Vulnerability Management Threat Intelligence Training AUSCERT Conference Community Outreach Share Today Save Tomorrow Conclusion Click here to read the report  or head over to this link: https://auscert.shorthandstories.com/auscert-year-in-review-2023/index.html

Greetings, Last Day to Register for AUSCERT2024 Before Prices Increase! Don’t miss this incredible opportunity, register now to take advantage of the lower prices! We’re excited to catch up with all our favourite people next week! With a program packed with groundbreaking workshops, innovative speakers, and exciting activities, we are prepared for an unforgettable experience! Yesterday, we were thrilled to welcome our colleagues from CIRCL Luxembourg to the AUSCERT headquarters! Long-time friends of AUSCERT, Michael Hamm and Christian Studer, visited to reconnect with old friends and share their expertise with our team. As many of you know, the CIRCL team is renowned for developing the Malware Information Sharing Platform (MISP) and tactical data feeds used worldwide. Years ago, they assisted AUSCERT in integrating MISP into our services as AusMISP, providing significant benefits to our members. During their visit, Michael and Christian offered valuable insights on MISP and other strategies to further develop the platform and enhance our capabilities. The team also had productive brainstorming sessions about future projects, fostering an environment of collaboration and innovation. This week, we have also released a new podcast episode, Episode 34: Wireless in an Undiscovered Country. In this episode, Anthony sits down with Ed Farrell from Mercury ISS, renowned for his AUSCERT Conference tutorials and his leadership in the cybersecurity industry. Ed shares his insights on wireless technology in our evolving landscape. In the second half of the episode, Bek chats with Anthony in anticipation of next week’s AUSCERT Conference! In other exciting news, our General Manager, Ivano, will be hosting a Masterclass on “Overcoming Cyber-Risks: Legal and Managerial Implications.” This course is specifically tailored for non-cyber professionals, providing essential skills to protect organisations from data breaches and mitigate reputational and financial risks. It is designed to empower participants with a comprehensive understanding of the legal and managerial aspects of cybersecurity. For more information and to register, click here! SAP Security Patch Day – May 2024 Date: 2024-05-14 Author: SecurityBridge Looking at the fifth SAP Security Patch Day of the year, the imperative for maintaining robust security measures remains paramount. Once again, SAP has released a series of security patches, prompting a closer examination of the key highlights. This time, the update comprises a set of 15 notes. In today’s digital landscape, it’s a narrative we’re all too familiar with – headlines dominated by reports of data breaches, ransomware attacks, and other cyber threats that loom over organizations. Critical Flaws in Cacti Framework Could Let Attackers Execute Malicious Code Date: 2024-05-14 Author: The Hacker News [AUSCERT identified the impacted members (where possible) and contacted them via email] The maintainers of the Cacti open-source network monitoring and fault management framework have addressed a dozen security flaws, including two critical issues that could lead to the execution of arbitrary code. The most severe of the vulnerabilities are listed below – CVE-2024-25641 (CVSS score: 9.1) – An arbitrary file write vulnerability in the “Package Import” feature that allows authenticated users having the “Import Templates” permission to execute arbitrary PHP code on the web server, resulting in remote code execution. Google patches third exploited Chrome zero-day in a week Date: 2024-05-15 Author: Bleeping Computer [See AUSCERT Bulletin https://portal.auscert.org.au/bulletins/ESB-2024.3100] Google has released a new emergency Chrome security update to address the third zero-day vulnerability exploited in attacks within a week. “Google is aware that an exploit for CVE-2024-4947 exists in the wild,” the search giant said in a security advisory published on Wednesday. The company fixed the zero-day flaw with the release of 125.0.6422.60/.61 for Mac/Windows and 125.0.6422.60 (Linux). The new versions will roll out to all users in the Stable Desktop channel over the coming weeks. Citrix warns admins to manually mitigate PuTTY SSH client bug Date: 2024-05-09 Author: Bleeping Computer [See AUSCERT Bulletin https://portal.auscert.org.au/bulletins/ASB-2024.0072] Citrix notified customers this week to manually mitigate a PuTTY SSH client vulnerability that could allow attackers to steal a XenCenter admin’s private SSH key. XenCenter helps manage Citrix Hypervisor environments from a Windows desktop, including deploying and monitoring virtual machines. The security flaw (tracked as CVE-2024-31497) impacts multiple versions of XenCenter for Citrix Hypervisor 8.2 CU1 LTSR, which bundle and use PuTTY to make SSH connections from XenCenter to guest VMs when clicking the “Open SSH Console” button. Largest non-bank lender in Australia warns of a data breach Date: 2024-05-12 Author: Bleeping Computer Firstmac Limited is warning customers that it suffered a data breach a day after the new Embargo cyber-extortion group leaked over 500GB of data allegedly stolen from the firm. Firstmac is a significant player in Australia’s financial services industry, focusing primarily on mortgage lending, investment management, and securitization services. Headquartered in Brisbane, Queensland, and employing 460 people, the firm has issued 100,000 home loans and currently manages $15 billion in mortgages. CISA Announces CVE Enrichment Project ‘Vulnrichment’ Date: 2024-05-09 Author: Security Week The US cybersecurity agency CISA on Wednesday announced a new project that aims to add important information to CVE records in an effort to help organizations improve their vulnerability management processes. The project is named Vulnrichment and its goal is the enrichment of public CVE records with Common Platform Enumeration (CPE), Common Vulnerability Scoring System (CVSS), Common Weakness Enumeration (CWE), and Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) data. CISA says it has already enriched 1,300 CVEs — particularly new and recent CVEs — and is asking all CVE numbering authorities (CNAs) to provide complete information when submitting vulnerability information to CVE.org. ESB-2024.3099 – VMware Products: CVSS (Max): 9.3 In the latest security update, Broadcom has disclosed serious vulnerabilities impacting VMware Workstation and Fusion. These issues, identified as CVE-2024-22267, CVE-2024-22268, CVE-2024-22269, and CVE-2024-22270, pose risks such as denial of service and information exposure to users. ESB-2024.3046 – Adobe Acrobat and Reader: CVSS (Max): 7.8 Adobe has identified 35 security vulnerabilities across various products and is advising users to promptly address critical-severity issues in its popular Adobe Acrobat and Reader programs. ASB-2024.0108 – ALERT Microsoft Windows: CVSS (Max): 8.8 Microsoft has urgently addressed a critical zero-day vulnerability, CVE-2024-30051, exploited by attackers to deliver QakBot malware. This flaw in Windows Desktop Window Manager allowed threat actors to gain full control over compromised machines. ESB-2024.2988 – Google Chrome: CVSS (Max): None Google has promptly taken action to resolve a significant zero-day vulnerability in its Chrome browser that was being actively exploited. The vulnerability, known as CVE-2024-4761, is an “Out of bounds write” flaw located in V8, Chrome’s JavaScript engine. ASB-2024.0105.2 – UPDATE ALERT [WIN] Microsoft Edge: CVSS (Max): None Microsoft Edge users to urged to install the latest security update. This critical update addresses several vulnerabilities, including a zero-day flaw (CVE-2024-4671) that is actively being exploited in the wild. Stay safe, stay patched and have a good weekend! The AUSCERT team