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Windows Bug
3CX Update APT attacks APT27 Chinese Government malware Malware. Software Supply Chain Attack VoIP Windows Bug

Supply Chain Attack Targets 3CX App: What You Need to Know

A recently discovered supply chain attack has targeted the 3CX desktop app, compromising the security of thousands of users. According to reports, the attackers exploited a 10-year-old Windows bug that had an opt-in fix to gain access to the 3CX software.

The attack was first reported by Bleeping Computer, which noted that the malware had been distributed through an update to the 3CX app. The malware allowed the attackers to steal sensitive data and execute arbitrary code on the affected systems.

As The Hacker News reported, the attack was highly targeted, with the attackers seeking to compromise specific organizations. The attack has been linked to the APT27 group, which is believed to have links to the Chinese government.

The 3CX app is widely used by businesses and organizations for VoIP communication, and the attack has raised concerns about the security of supply chains. As a TechTarget article pointed out, "Supply chain attacks have become a go-to tactic for cybercriminals seeking to gain access to highly secured environments."

The attack on the 3CX app serves as a reminder of the importance of supply chain security. As a cybersecurity expert, Dr. Kevin Curran noted, "Organizations must vet their suppliers and ensure that they are following secure coding practices."

The incident also highlights the importance of patch management, as the 10-year-old Windows bug exploited by the attackers had an opt-in fix. In this regard, Dr. Curran emphasized, "Organizations must ensure that all software and systems are regularly updated and patched to prevent known vulnerabilities from being exploited."

The supply chain attack on the 3CX app, in conclusion, serves as a clear reminder of the importance of strong supply chain security and efficient patch management. Organizations must be cautious and take preventive action to safeguard their systems and data as the possibility of supply chain assaults increases.
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Windows Bug
Adobe Exploit malware Microsoft security threat Spyware Windows Bug

Spyware Group ‘Knotweed’ Employs Windows and Adobe Bugs to Target Firms Worldwide

 

Microsoft has unearthed an Austrian “cyber mercenary” group employing Windows and Adobe exploits to target organizations with spyware since at least 2021. 

Security analysts at Microsoft’s Threat Intelligence Center and Security Response Center said the organization is a private-sector offensive actor (PSOA) called Decision Supporting Information Research Forensic (DSIRF), but dubbed by Microsoft with the codename Knotweed. 

A cyber-weapons broker has launched multiple attacks on law firms, banks, and strategic consultancies in countries across the globe via spyware — dubbed Subzero — that allows its users to remotely and silently infiltrate a victim’s computer, phone, network infrastructure, and internet-linked devices.

"DSIRF has been linked to the development and attempted sale of a malware toolset called Subzero, which enables customers to hack into their targets' computers, phones, network infrastructure, and internet-connected devices," Microsoft said in a blog post. 

DSIRF promotes Subzero as a “next generation cyber warfare” tool that can secure full control of a victim’s PC, steal passwords and disclose its real-time location, according to a copy of an internal presentation released by Netzpolitik, a German news website, in 2021. 

The report claims that DSIRF, which reportedly has links to the Russian state, promoted its tool for use during the 2016 U.S. presidential election. The German government was also considering the purchase and use of Subzero to enhance its cyber defense. 

Microsoft said it has issued a software update to mitigate the use of the identified vulnerabilities. The tech giant has also released signatures of the malware to shield Windows users from exploits Knotweed was employing to help deliver its malware. 

More action is needed on a broader level, given that DSIRF will not be the last PSOA to target organizations, as Microsoft researchers explained in a brief sent to Congress on Wednesday. 

"We are increasingly seeing PSOAs selling their tools to authoritarian governments that act inconsistently with the rule of law and human rights norms," researchers explained. "We welcome Congress's focus on the risks and abuses we all collectively face from the unscrupulous use of surveillance technologies and encourage regulation to limit their use both here in the United States and elsewhere around the world."
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Windows Bug
Federal Agency security threat Vulnerabilities and Exploits Windows Bug

CISA Issues Warning to Federal Agencies Regarding Actively Exploited Windows Flaw

 

The US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) has ordered federal agencies to address their systems against an actively exploited Windows vulnerability that allows malicious actors to abuse the Microsoft operating system and secure administrator privileges on a device. The vulnerability affects Windows 10, Windows 11, and Windows Server. 

In a CISA notice published February 4, all Federal Civilian Executive Branch Agencies (FCEB) agencies have two weeks to comply and address their systems to mitigate the threat from this actively exploited Windows vulnerability, tracked as CVE-2022-21882. 

Additionally, CISA recommended all private and public sector firms reduce their exposure to ongoing cyber assaults by adopting this Directive and prioritizing mitigation of vulnerabilities included in its catalog of actively exploited security flaws. 

"CISA has added one new vulnerability to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities Catalog, based on evidence that threat actors are actively exploiting the vulnerabilities listed in the table below," the cybersecurity agency said today. These types of vulnerabilities are a frequent attack vector for malicious cyber actors of all types and pose a significant risk to the federal enterprise."

According to Microsoft's advisory, the attackers with limited access to exploited devices can use the newly obtained user rights to spread laterally within the network, create new admin users, or execute privileged commands. 

"A local, authenticated attacker could gain elevated local system or administrator privileges through a vulnerability in the Win32k.sys driver," researchers explained. This vulnerability affects systems running Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 10, and Windows 11 as well as Windows Server 2019 and 2022. The bug is also a bypass of another Windows Win32k privilege escalation bug (CVE-2021-1732), a zero-day flaw patched in February 2021 and actively exploited in attacks since at least the summer of 2020.

Security experts at BleepingComputer also examined an exploit targeting this bug and discovered no issues compiling the exploit and using it to open Notepad with SYSTEM privileges on a Windows 10 system (the exploit didn't work on Windows 11). 

In recent months, Windows patches have hit the headlines for the wrong reasons especially after Microsoft botched not one, but two zero-day patches. This led to security researcher Abdelhamid Naceri, who identified one of the failed patches, sarcastically warning users: “you better wait and see how Microsoft will screw the patch again.”
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