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Corvus Insurance highlighted the growing complexity and competition within the ransomware ecosystem, with the threat level remaining elevated

The 25 most dangerous software weaknesses between June 2023 and June 2024 are responsible for almost 32,000 vulnerabilities

Phishing attacks, business email compromise and vendor email compromise attacks on manufacturing have surged in the past 12 months

Lots of details that are beyond me.

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Interesting analysis:

We introduce and explore a little-known threat to digital equality and freedom­websites geoblocking users in response to political risks from sanctions. U.S. policy prioritizes internet freedom and access to information in repressive regimes. Clarifying distinctions between free and paid websites, allowing trunk cables to repressive states, enforcing transparency in geoblocking, and removing ambiguity about sanctions compliance are concrete steps the U.S. can take to ensure it does not undermine its own aims.

The paper: “Digital Discrimination of Users in Sanctioned States: The Case of the Cuba Embargo“:

Abstract: We present one of the first in-depth and systematic end-user centered investigations into the effects of sanctions on geoblocking, specifically in the case of Cuba. We conduct network measurements on the Tranco Top 10K domains and complement our findings with a small-scale user study with a questionnaire. We identify 546 domains subject to geoblocking across all layers of the network stack, ranging from DNS failures to HTTP(S) response pages with a variety of status codes. Through this work, we discover a lack of user-facing transparency; we find 88% of geoblocked domains do not serve informative notice of why they are blocked. Further, we highlight a lack of measurement-level transparency, even among HTTP(S) blockpage responses. Notably, we identify 32 instances of blockpage responses served with 200 OK status codes, despite not returning the requested content. Finally, we note the inefficacy of current improvement strategies and make recommendations to both service providers and policymakers to reduce Internet fragmentation.

Two-step verification, two-factor authentication, multi-factor authentication…whatever your social media platform calls it, it’s an excellent way to protect your accounts.

There’s a good chance you’re already using multi-factor verification with your other accounts — for your bank, your finances, your credit card, and any number of things. The way it requires an extra one-time code in addition to your login and password makes life far tougher for hackers.

It’s increasingly common to see nowadays, where all manner of online services only allow access to your accounts after you’ve provided a one-time passcode sent to your email or smartphone. That’s where two-step verification comes in. You get sent a code as part of your usual login process (usually a six-digit number), and then you enter that along with your username and password.

Some online services also offer the option to use an authenticator app, which sends the code to a secure app rather than via email or your smartphone. Authenticator apps work much in the same way, yet they offer three unique features:

• They keep the authentication code local to your device, rather than sending it unencrypted over email or text.
• This makes it more secure than email- and text-based authentication because they can be intercepted.
• It can also provide codes for multiple accounts, not just your social media account.

Google, Microsoft, and others offer authenticator apps if you want to go that route. You can get a good list of options by checking out the “editor’s picks” at your app store or in trusted tech publications.

Whichever form of authentication you use, always keep that secure code to yourself. It’s yours and yours alone. Anyone who asks for that code, say someone masquerading as a customer service rep, is trying to scam you. With that code, and your username/password combo, they can get into your account.

Before we talk about multi-factor verification, let’s talk about passwords

Passwords and two-step verification work hand-in-hand to keep you safer. Yet not any old password will do. You’ll want a strong, unique password. Here’s how that breaks down:

• Strong: A combination of at least 12 uppercase letters, lowercase letters, symbols, and numbers. Hacking tools look for word and number patterns. By mixing the types of characters, you break the pattern and keep your account safe.
• Unique: Every one of your accounts should have its own password. Yes, all. And if that sounds like a lot of work, a password manager can do the work for you. It creates strong, unique passwords and stores them securely.

Now, with strong passwords in place, you can get to setting up multi-factor verification on your social media accounts.

Multi-factor authentication for Facebook

1. Click on your profile picture in the top right, then click  Settings and Privacy.
2. Click Settings.
3. Click Accounts Center, then click Password and Security.
4. Click Two-factor authentication, then click on the account that you’d like to update.
5. Choose the security method you want to add and follow the on-screen instructions.

When you set up two-factor authentication on Facebook, you’ll be asked to choose one of three security methods:

• Tapping your security key on a compatible device.
• Login codes from a third-party authentication app.
• Text message (SMS) codes from your mobile phone.

And here’s a link to the company’s full walkthrough: https://www.facebook.com/help/148233965247823

Multi-factor authentication for Instagram

1. Click More in the bottom left, then click Settings.
2. Click See more in Accounts Center, then click Password and Security.
3. Click Two-factor authentication, then select an account.
4. Choose the security method you want to add and follow the on-screen instructions.

When you set up two-factor authentication on Instagram, you’ll be asked to choose one of three security methods: an authentication app, text message, or WhatsApp.

And here’s a link to the company’s full walkthrough: https://help.instagram.com/566810106808145

Multi-factor authentication for WhatsApp

1. Open WhatsApp Settings.
2. Tap Account > Two-step verification > Turn on or Set up PIN.
3. Enter a six-digit PIN of your choice and confirm it.
4. Provide an email address you can access or tap Skip if you don’t want to add an email address. (Adding an email address lets you reset two-step verification as needed, which further protects your account.
5. Tap Next.
6. Confirm the email address and tap Save or Done.

And here’s a link to the company’s full walkthrough: https://faq.whatsapp.com/1920866721452534

Multi-factor authentication for YouTube (and other Google accounts)

1. Open your Google Account.
2. In the navigation panel, select Security.
3. Under “How you sign in to Google,” select 2-Step Verification > Get started.
4. Follow the on-screen steps.

And here’s a link to the company’s full walkthrough: https://support.google.com/accounts/answer/185839?hl=en&co=GENIE.Platform%3DDesktop

Multi-factor authentication for TikTok

1. TapProfileat the bottom of the screen.
2. Tap the Menu button at the top.
3. Tap Settings and Privacy, then Security.
4. Tap 2-step verification and choose at least two verification methods: SMS (text), email, and authenticator app.
5. Tap Turn on to confirm.

And here’s a link to the company’s full walkthrough: https://support.tiktok.com/en/account-and-privacy/personalized-ads-and-data/how-your-phone-number-is-used-on-tiktok

The post How to Protect Your Social Media Passwords with Multi-factor Verification appeared first on McAfee Blog.

New Linux malware WolfsBane and FireWood have been linked to Gelsemium APT, a cyber-espionage group targeting critical systems

Group-IB revealed key differences in VietCredCare and DuckTail infostealer malware targeting Facebook Business accounts

One of these flaws detected using LLMs was in the widely used OpenSSL library

The BianLian ransomware group has shifted exclusively to exfiltration-based extortion and is deploying multiple new TTPs for initial access and persistence