Category: Enterprise Security

Storm-0501: Unveiling the Tactics Behind Multi-Stage Hybrid Cloud Attacks

Posted on by Srishti Chaubey

Introduction

The global cloud services market, valued at $551.8 billion in 2021, is projected to reach $2.5 trillion by 2031. This explosive growth makes cloud environments a prime target for cyber criminals. One such group is Storm-0501, an extortion-orientated cyber crime group that’s been conducting multi-stage attacks against hybrid cloud environments in government, manufacturing, transportation, and law enforcement. Since its inception in 2021, Storm-0501 has changed its operations, shifting from targeting U.S. school districts to running RaaS operations. This blog post explains the tactics, techniques and procedures (TTPs) of the group to help improve organizational defenses with mitigation strategies.

Storm-0501 TTPs: Steal Technique

Initial Compromise and Discovery

Storm-0501 has traditionally obtained initial access using compromised credentials or exploitation of known vulnerabilities in systems with widespread use. In a recent campaign, Storm-0501 exploited known vulnerabilities in Zoho, ManageEngine (CVE-2022-47966), Citrix, NetScaler (CVE-2023-4966), and ColdFusion (possibly CVE-2023-29300 or CVE-2023-38203). After gaining entry into the target network, it conducts extensive exploration using several tools to find high-value assets, obtain credentials, and increase privileges.

Lateral Movement and Credential Theft

Storm-0501 uses Impacket’s SecretsDump and Cobalt Strike to move laterally across the network grabbing credentials to compromise additional devices. They target the administrative accounts, mostly utilizing password reuse or weak credentials, accessing both their on-premises and cloud environments. Using cloud session hijacking, especially in Microsoft Entra, they establish persistent backdoor access into the target systems.

From Ground to Cloud: Storm-0501’s Cross-Environment Exploits

One of the most significant tactics Storm-0501 uses is the exploitation of the Microsoft Entra Connect Sync service by doing synchronization of credentials between the on-premises AD and cloud. The attackers escalate the privileges in both environments after compromising the sync accounts to have control over the cloud environment and for a persistent backdoor for the next attack.

Storm 0501 Exploit
Credit: Microsoft

Aftermath of the Storm-0501 Attack

The aftermath of a Storm-0501 attack can be devastating, with the group often gaining control over both on-prem and cloud environments, exfiltrating sensitive data, deploying ransomware, and tampering with security products to avoid detection. The threat will only increase with the new deployment of Embargo ransomware, where victim data is encrypted and sensitive information leaked unless a ransom is paid.

Such attacks would lead to the stealing of credentials, data breaches, service disruptions, and heavy financial losses. Storm-0501 pays extra attention to sensitive sectors such as hospitals, which raises stakes not only on data security but also public safety.

Mitigation

Hybrid Cloud Security Enhancement

While Microsoft has implemented restricted permissions on DSA roles in Entra Connect Sync and Entra Cloud Sync, defending Storm-0501 needs a robust, multi-layered approach. Conditional Access policy can further harden access to cloud services from non-verified devices and locations as a risk mitigation approach.

Harden Cloud Security Measures

Even solutions proposed by today’s market leaders such as Microsoft are still often based on passwords in most cases and, hence, would probably fail to deliver proper authentication in a much-enlarged, cloud-to-on-premises environment. Therefore, organizations should embrace solutions such as PureAUTH IAM Firewall that come with the strongest security and reliability against attacks exploiting credentials and even zero-day vulnerabilities. Built on a zero-trust architecture, it provides reliable, passwordless protection, further enhancing resilience against sophisticated threats.

Conclusion

Organizations need to move away from convenient and conventional IAM solutions and start interacting with leading edge defenses, such as passwordless authentication. Enhancing cloud security policies and infrastructure defenses will enable enterprises to withstand new cyber threats.

Solutions like PureAUTH will help organizations build a far more robust infrastructure that is not only adaptable but will also neutralize the most sophisticated cyber threats in existence.

Read Also

Microsoft Entra ID Vulnerabilities: Pass-Through Authentication Risks

Storm-0501: Ransomware attacks expanding to hybrid cloud environments

The achilles’ heel of cloud security: Why two-factor authentication isn’t enough

How Hackers Exploit Active Directory Certificate Services for Long-Term Persistence

Posted on by Srishti Chaubey

Introduction

Active Directory Certificate Services (AD CS) may seem like a helpful gatekeeper for managing digital certificates and encryption, but if it’s not configured just right, it can leave the door wide open for hackers. AD CS is often overlooked when it comes to security, making it a perfect treasure trove for attackers. And once they’re in, they can sneak around undetected, establishing long-term persistence in your network like they’re on an extended vacation.

Meme : AD Certificate Services
Credit: Medium

In this blog, we’ll break down how hackers exploit AD CS, dive into some clever tactics from recent findings, and most importantly, explain what you can do to keep them out.

Hackers in the Shadows: How AD CS Is Exploited

AD CS is Microsoft’s Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) solution for issuing and managing digital certificates in Active Directory environments. When configured correctly, it helps secure network communications. But if misconfigured, AD CS can quickly become a hacker’s best friend, enabling them to access networks, steal credentials, and stay hidden for the long haul.

Key Attack Vectors

  1. Stealing Certificates: Imitation is the Best (Criminal) Strategy
    Hackers can grab user or machine certificates, along with private keys, and use them to impersonate legitimate users or machines. This is like copying someone’s ID, if the certificate remains valid, they can continue authenticating, even after passwords change.
  2. Requesting Fake Certificates: Elevation Without the Effort
    Imagine asking for a regular office key but getting access to the CEO’s office instead. Similarly, if there are any misconfigured certificate templates, low-privileged users can request certificates that grant admin-like privileges.
  3. Misconfigured Certificate Templates: Unintentional Free Pass
    Certificate templates can be dangerous when they allow attackers to specify Subject Alternative Names (SANs). This essentially hands over the keys to high-level users’ certificates—like getting access to a domain admin’s credentials. Templates that aren’t secured give attackers serious access.
  4. CA Private Key Theft: A Permanent Invitation
    If an attacker can get their hands on a Certificate Authority (CA) private key, they can generate certificates for any user in the domain. This grants them persistent access that’s nearly impossible to revoke.
  5. Become a Shadow CA
    If an attacker can get a certificate signing request (CSR) signed by CA, which has constraint isCA is set to True, and allowed its use for signing other certificates, then the issue\d certificate makes the attacker a Parallel CA, which can independently generate any arbitrary certificates which will be considered as valid.
How to exploit AD Certificate Services

Tools of the Trade: Certify and ForgeCert

Hackers aren’t going in blind—they’ve got tools that make exploiting AD CS a breeze. The whitepaper by Will Schroeder and Lee Christensen highlights two key tools:

  • Certify: This tool scans for AD CS misconfigurations and assists attackers in requesting malicious certificates. It functions like a vulnerability scanner specifically designed for certificates.
  • ForgeCert: Attackers use this tool to create fake certificates with a stolen CA private key. By forging these certificates, they gain permanent access to your network, making detection much more challenging.
Certify tool to exploit AD Certificate Services

Mitigation: Fortify Your AD CS Before It’s Too Late

So, how can companies stop attackers from abusing AD CS? It’s all about treating your certificates like they’re gold and your CAs like they’re Fort Knox. Here’s a breakdown of what you need to do:

  1. Treat CAs as Critical Assets
    Your CA servers should be protected like domain controllers (or fort knox), lock them down and apply Tier 0 security controls. These systems are high-value targets, and attackers know it.
  2. Audit and Harden Certificate Templates
    Regularly audit your certificate templates and remove any unnecessary features, like SAN customization, which could give attackers an easy way in. Ensure templates are configured for minimum privilege.
  3. Secure CA Private Keys
    Store CA private keys in hardware security modules (HSMs). This keeps them away from prying hands and makes it significantly harder for attackers to steal them.
  4. Monitor Certificate Activity
    Keep an eye on your certificate enrolments, authentications, and template modifications. If something seems off, it probably is. Proactive monitoring can be your early warning system.

Conclusion

Active Directory Certificate Services isn’t inherently insecure, but its complexity makes it ripe for misconfiguration. When that happens, hackers can sneak in, steal credentials, and establish persistence that’s incredibly tough to detect and eliminate. As the Certified Pre-Owned whitepaper highlights, understanding the risks and securing AD CS is key to preventing these kinds of attacks.

To learn more about Secure usage & management of X509 Certificates, you can refer to this in depth Practitioners Guide authored by our founder Ajit Hatti as part of Null Cipher Security Club

In short, if you’re not securing AD CS, hackers might just settle in and stick around your network for longer than you’d like.

Read Also

Certified Pre-Owned: Abusing Active Directory Certificate Services

Microsoft Entra ID Vulnerabilities: Pass-Through Authentication Risks

Microsoft Reveals Russian Hack: Executives’ Emails Compromised

Secure Usage & Management of X509 Certificate

RockYou2024: Nearly 10 Billion Passwords Leaked Online

Posted on by Srishti Chaubey

Introduction

On July 4, 2024, the cybersecurity community was rocked by the discovery of RockYou2024, the largest password compilation leak in history. This staggering breach, revealed by a Cybernews research team, includes nearly 10 billion unique plaintext passwords. The massive dataset, posted on a popular hacking forum, presents severe security risks, especially for users prone to reusing passwords.

The RockYou2024 Password Leak

The RockYou2024 password leak, tracked as the largest of its kind, was unveiled by Cybernews researchers. The file, named rockyou2024.txt, contains an astounding 9,948,575,739 unique plaintext passwords. The dataset was posted by a user named “ObamaCare,” who has a history of leaking sensitive information. This compilation is believed to be a mix of old and new data breaches, significantly increasing the risk of credential stuffing attacks.

Credit: Cybernews

A Brief History of RockYou

The RockYou series of password leaks dates back to 2009, when the original RockYou breach exposed over 32 million user account details. In 2021, the RockYou2021 compilation, containing 8.4 billion passwords, set a new record at the time. RockYou2024 expands on this legacy, adding another 1.5 billion new passwords, making it the largest password dump to date.

Impact and Exploitation Risks

The RockYou2024 leak poses significant dangers due to the vast number of real-world passwords it contains. Cyber-criminals can leverage this data to execute brute-force attacks, attempting to gain unauthorised access to various online accounts. Combined with other leaked databases containing usernames and email addresses, RockYou2024 could lead to widespread data breaches, financial fraud, and identity theft.

How to Protect Against RockYou2024

Reset Compromised Passwords

Immediately reset passwords for any accounts associated with the leaked data. Ensure new passwords are strong, unique, and not reused across multiple platforms.

Enable Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)

Enable MFA wherever possible. This adds an extra layer of security by requiring additional verification beyond just a password.

Implement Passwordless Solutions

Adopting passwordless solutions can further enhance security. SAML-based passwordless solutions, such as Single Sign-On (SSO) systems, eliminate the need for passwords by using secure tokens for authentication. These solutions reduce the risk of password-related attacks and improve user convenience.

Monitor Accounts and Stay Informed

Regularly monitor accounts for suspicious activity and stay informed about the latest cybersecurity threats and best practices.

Conclusion

This recent breach highlights how fragile and unsafe passwords are, underscoring the need for more secure authentication methods. The RockYou2024 leak demonstrates that even with strong, unique passwords, the risks remain significant. Multi-factor authentication (MFA), while an added layer of security, is not foolproof. For example, MFA breaches such as the 2022 Uber hack and the attack on Microsoft’s Office 365 users in 2021 show its vulnerabilities.

Additionally, password managers are not entirely reliable. The Okta breach in 2022 and the OneLogin breach in 2017 exposed millions of user accounts, demonstrating that even these tools can be compromised.

In light of these risks, passwordless systems are emerging as the next hot trend in cybersecurity. SAML-based passwordless solutions, like PureAuth, provide enhanced security by eliminating the need for passwords and reducing the attack surface for cybercriminals.

Embracing passwordless systems, combined with continuous monitoring and updated security practices, is essential for protecting against the evolving threat landscape. Stay ahead of cyber threats by adopting innovative authentication methods and ensuring your digital assets are well-protected.

SolarWinds New 0-Day: Serv-U Update

Posted on by Srishti Chaubey

SolarWinds Serv-U, one of the leading multi-protocol file servers, reported a critical exploit marked as CVE-2024-28995. It allows unauthorised access to sensitive files. This path traversal flaw poses a significant security risk.

Credit: CyberInsider

What is CVE-2024-28995?

CVE-2024-28995 is a path traversal vulnerability in SolarWinds Serv-U. Attackers can exploit it remotely and without authentication. It allows an attacker to send specially crafted requests to the server, potentially accessing sensitive files and data from the underlying operating system. This could include user data, server logs, and other critical files​

Historical Context

SolarWinds Serv-U has been targeted before. In 2021, a zero-day vulnerability (CVE-2021-35211) was exploited by a group called Circle Typhoon. This historical precedent underscores the importance of patching vulnerabilities in managed file transfer solutions, which are prime targets for cyber criminals​.

Exploitation Details

Researchers have observed both automated and manual exploitation attempts. These began after the release of proof-of-concept (PoC) exploit details on June 18, 2024. GreyNoise reported seeing active exploitation in the wild. The PoC scripts made it relatively straightforward for attackers to leverage this vulnerability, prompting urgent calls for patching​

Implications for Organisations

Managed file transfer solutions are prime targets for ransomware groups. Examples include attacks on Accellion’s FTA, Fortra’s GoAnywhere MFT, and Progress Software’s MOVEit Transfer. These attacks often result in data breaches and extortion attempt.

Mitigation and Recommendations

SolarWinds released a patch to address CVE-2024-28995. Users of Serv-U FTP and MFT solutions should upgrade to version 15.4.2 HF 2 or later. Immediate patching is crucial due to the active exploitation and sensitivity of the data at risk.

Identifying Affected Systems

Tenable has developed plugins to identify vulnerable systems. These plugins are available on the CVE page for CVE-2024-28995. Organisations should use these tools to detect and remediate this vulnerability.

Enhancing Security with Passwordless Systems

To bolster security and protect against vulnerabilities like CVE-2024-28995, consider implementing passwordless authentication systems. Traditional passwords are often a weak link in cybersecurity, prone to phishing, brute force attacks, and credential stuffing. By moving to a passwordless system, you can significantly enhance the security posture of your SolarWinds Serv-U environment.

Benefits of Passwordless Authentication:

  1. Reduced Attack Surface
  2. Improved User Experience
  3. Enhanced Security
  4. Compliance and Standards

Implementing Passwordless Systems with PureAuth:

PureAuth offers a robust passwordless authentication solution that can be integrated into your existing infrastructure. By using PureAuth, you can secure your SolarWinds Serv-U environment against unauthorised access and potential vulnerabilities.

Conclusion:

CVE-2024-28995 is a serious vulnerability actively exploited in the wild. Organisations using SolarWinds Serv-U must prioritise patching to protect their systems. Enhancing security with passwordless systems is a proactive step in safeguarding your SolarWinds Serv-U environment. By implementing solutions like PureAuth, you can reduce the risk of exploitation from vulnerabilities like CVE-2024-28995 and ensure a more secure and user-friendly authentication process.

SnowBall effect of Snowflake Breach

Posted on by Srishti Chaubey

Executive Summary

Snowflake an American cloud computing–based data cloud company, identified a breach in June 2024, which had far-reaching implications for various organisations. Attackers exploited stolen credentials from a Snowflake employee, enabling unauthorised access to sensitive customer data, including credentials and access tokens. This breach was exacerbated by bypassing Okta’s security measures, allowing the attackers to generate new session tokens and access extensive customer data without detection.

Key Affected Customers:

Attack Method

  • Credentials Theft: Initial access through compromised employee credentials
  • Bypass Mechanism: Circumvention of Okta Security Protocols
  • Exploitation: Generation of new session tokens to access databases and steal data
Attack Path Diagram
Credit: The Hacker News

The Domino Effect

The Snowflake breach has created a domino effect, where the initial compromise has led to multiple subsequent breaches. This incident mirrors the earlier Okta breach,, where attackers leveraged stolen credentials to infiltrate various organizations.

Domino Effect of Snowflake Breach

Companies affected include:

  • Ticketmaster: Reported unauthorised access to sensitive data.
  • Advance Auto Parts: Experienced data theft, with stolen information now for sale on dark web marketplaces.
  • Santander Bank: Compromised customer data led to financial and reputational damage.
  • Hugging Face, Quote Wizard, Lending Tree: Also reported breaches, with more organizations likely to follow .

Inherent Weaknesses in Traditional IAM Solutions

Password + MFA Based Authentication:

  • Reliance on passwords makes systems vulnerable to phishing and credential theft.
  • Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) is often ineffective as attackers can bypass Password + MFA protection mainly by phishing or using a compromised device.
  • Social Engineering attacks have shown that phishing resistant MFA like FIDO keys, & passkeys can prove to be ineffective & can be easily disabled or reset.

IAM Blind Spots:

Apart from reliance on vulnerable passwords for identifying user. The existing IAM solutions are blind to following risks

  • Connection Risk – Traditional IAM solutions lack visibility of user connections. They cannot know whether an authentication request is coming from an authorised actor or an attacker in the middle.
  • User’s Device Risk – They also do not account for the type & security posture of user’s devices, leaving systems exposed to malware and remote monitoring, as seen in the Uber incident.

Impact Assessment

The Snowflake breach is termed as the biggest data breach so far and it’s cascading effect has led to numerous organisations reporting security incidents & data breach. 

The amplification effect could potentially lead to a vast number of downstream breaches, escalating the overall impact.

Impact of Snowflake Breach
Credit: XQ

Towards a Secure Future

Challenges with Current Solutions:

  • Time and again Password + MFA based systems are proven to be ineffective against simple attacks like phishing & social engineering.
  • There is a pressing need for more robust authentication mechanisms.

Protect your Enterprise, #GoPasswordless with PureAUTH

FIDO Solutions like Passkeys and hardware tokens focus on giving users a passwordless experience keeping the passwords on the server as the primary way to identify and authenticate users.

PureAUTH Platform on the other hand provides a comprehensive passwordless approach, eliminating the passwords from server side & not just from user side. PureAUTH is the only solution that protects an organisation against phishing, social engineering, frauds & all types of credential-based attack.

To learn more about PureAUTH & how it protects your existing IAM systems like Okta, OneLogin, CISCO Duo, or Azure AD in just 60 minutes at Zero Cost – get in touch with us

Related Blogs

Okta Warns Customers of Credential Stuffing Attacks

Unpacking Okta’s Recent Security Breach

BoAt Lifestyle: Understanding the Data Breach

Posted on by Srishti Chaubey

Introduction

A recent data breach has shaken boAt, a leading manufacturer of audio products and smartwatches. The personal data belonging to over 7.5 million customers of boAt is getting sold for 2 euro only. This breach highlights the critical need for robust security measures and the adoption of zero trust architecture to protect customer data effectively.

About the Breach

A hacker named “ShopifyGuy” claimed to have leaked personal data of over 7.5 million boAt customers on the dark web. The compromised information includes names, addresses, contact numbers, email IDs, and customer IDs, posing severe risks to customer privacy and security.

Data Loss

The leaked data, totaling approximately 2GB, exposes boAt customers to potential financial scams, identity theft, and phishing attacks. Threat actors could exploit this information to conduct fraudulent activities, posing significant threats to individuals’ financial and personal well-being.

Credit : TOI

Aftermath

The aftermath of the data breach includes a loss of customer confidence, legal consequences, and reputational harm for boAt. Prompt action is necessary to mitigate risks and restore trust among affected customers.

Strengthening Data Security: The Role of Zero Trust Architecture

In preventing data breaches like the one experienced by boAt, adopting a zero-trust architecture proves crucial. By implementing strict access controls, continuous monitoring, and privilege access policies, organizations can reduce the chances of unauthorised access and mitigate the risks associated with potential breaches.

With these proactive measures, boAt and other organizations can better safeguard customer data and maintain trust in an increasingly digital world.

GitHub: Millions of Secrets Exposed

Posted on by Srishti Chaubey

Introduction

In 2023, developers inadvertently leaked a staggering 12.8 million secrets on public GitHub repositories, marking a concerning 28% increase from the previous year. This revelation underscores the security challenge faced by GitHub, as highlighted in a recent report by GitGuardian, a leading security vendor in the software development realm.

Persistent Security Gap

Despite the alarming number of leaked secrets, GitGuardian found that a staggering 90% of these exposed secrets remained active even five days after the initial leakage. Shockingly, only a mere 2.6% were revoked within one hour of receiving notification via email.

The Threat of Malicious Repository Forks

The report adds to the ongoing security challenges faced by GitHub. Since mid-2023, attackers have exploited GitHub’s ecosystem, employing sophisticated tactics to infiltrate legitimate repositories and spread malware. These incidents serve as a reminder of the ongoing challenges in securing the software supply chain.

Commonly Leaked Secrets

The most commonly leaked secrets included Google API keys, MongoDB credentials, OpenWeatherMap tokens, Telegram Bot tokens, Google Cloud keys, and AWS IAM. These leaked credentials could potentially grant unauthorised access to sensitive enterprise resources, posing a significant threat to organisational security.

Growing Popularity of AI Services

GitGuardian’s report also shed light on the growing popularity of AI services, with a notable increase in leaks of OpenAI API keys and HuggingFace user access tokens. These findings underscore the need for heightened security measures in the rapidly evolving landscape of artificial intelligence.

Sectoral Impact

The IT sector emerged as the worst offender, accounting for 65.9% of the total leaked secrets, followed by education, science & technology, retail, manufacturing, and finance and insurance.

Credit: GitGuardian.com


It’s concerning to see India leading the charge in secret leaks, underscoring the necessity of bolstering security practices in CI/CD pipelines. This serves as a reminder of the critical need for enhanced vigilance in safeguarding sensitive data.

Call to Action

GitGuardian urged organisations to not only detect but also remediate these leaks effectively. While detection is crucial, remediation efforts are equally essential in mitigating the risks associated with leaked secrets. Additionally, organisations can enhance their security posture by leveraging advanced authentication frameworks such as PureAUTH’s CASPR module.

This module ensures codebase integrity with cryptographic verification. By implementing robust security measures and utilising advanced authentication solutions, organisations can better safeguard their data.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the findings from GitGuardian’s report underscore the pressing need for organisations to prioritise security measures to safeguard sensitive data and prevent unauthorised access to critical resources. The threat posed by millions of malicious repository forks since mid-2023 further highlights the importance of bolstering GitHub’s security infrastructure. By adopting advanced authentication frameworks such as CASPR, organisations can bolster their defences against security threats and ensure the integrity of their codebase.

PureID helps enter prises to remove secrets like passwords, static keys, access tokens with its passwordless technology. By adopting it’s other  advanced authentication frameworks such as ZITA – Just-In-Time-Access & CASPR code-commit protection, organisations can bolster their defences against security threats and ensure the integrity of their codebase.

American Express Warns Customers of Third-Party Data Breach

Posted on by Srishti Chaubey

Introduction

American Express (Amex) has disclosed a potential data breach, affecting some of its credit card holders. The breach, originating from a third-party service provider, has raised concerns about the security of cardholder information.

Timeline

  • March 4, 2024: Breach Notification:
    • American Express files a breach notification letter with the Massachusetts State Attorney General’s Office as a precautionary measure.
    • The breach is attributed to a point-of-sale attack at a merchant processor, not directly involving American Express or its service providers.
  • March 5, 2024: Public Disclosure:
    • Details of the breach are publicly disclosed by American Express, acknowledging the potential compromise of cardholder names, account numbers, and expiration dates.
    • American Express reassures card members and emphasises its robust monitoring systems.
Screenshot of American Express Breach Notice

Details of the Breach

Incident Overview:

  • The breach occurred due to a point-of-sale attack at a merchant processor, not directly involving American Express or its service providers.

Affected Information:

  • Account information potentially compromised includes cardholder names, American Express card account numbers, and expiration dates.
  • Both active and previously issued credit card account numbers may have been impacted.

Customer Perspective

Customer Liability:

  • American Express assures its card members that they won’t be liable for fraudulent charges on their accounts.
  • The company emphasises its sophisticated monitoring systems to detect and address any suspicious activity promptly.

Recommendations for Customers:

  • Customers should regularly review and monitor their account activity.
  • American Express recommends Free fraud and account activity alerts via email, SMS text messaging, and app notifications for added protection.

Industry Perspective

Accountability of Third-Party Service Providers:

  • Cyber security experts such as Liat Hayun, CEO and co-founder of Eureka Security, stress the importance of holding third-party service providers accountable for data security.
  • Recent incidents, like the Bank of America breach with Infosys McCamish Systems, highlight the persistent challenge of third-party vulnerabilities.
  • With breaches attributed to groups like LockBit ransomware, there’s a pressing need to fortify security measures.
  • Previous breaches, such as Bank of America’s exposure via Ernst & Young, emphasise the necessity of securing access points to sensitive data.

Conclusion

The American Express data breach serves as a reminder of the ongoing cybersecurity challenges faced by financial institutions and the imperative need for proactive security measures. Using and Managing passwords also costs a lot. The easiest solution of this unavoidable situation is adopting passwordless solutions for Identity and Access Management (IAM). Password-based authentication methods are increasingly vulnerable to cyber threats.  Embracing advanced authentication mechanisms can mitigate unauthorised access risks and safeguard sensitive information.

GitHub’s Battle Against Malicious Forks : A Security Challenge

Posted on by Srishti Chaubey

Introduction

GitHub, a leading software development platform, faces a grave security threat posed by millions of malicious repository forks. Since mid-2023, attackers have exploited GitHub’s ecosystem, employing sophisticated tactics to infiltrate legitimate repositories and spread malware.

The Attack

The attack involves cloning existing repositories, injecting malware, and uploading them back to GitHub under the same names. Automated systems then fork these repositories thousands of times, amplifying the malicious spread. This campaign targets unsuspecting developers, executing code designed to steal sensitive information such as authentication cookies.

Timeline

  • May 2023: Malicious packages uploaded to PyPI, spread through ‘os.system(“pip install package”)’ calls in forks of popular GitHub repos.
  • July-August 2023: Malicious repos uploaded to GitHub directly, bypassing PyPI after removal of malicious packages.
  • November 2023-Now: Over 100,000 repos detected with similar malicious payloads, continuing to grow.
Timeline of Malicious Forks in GitHub
Credit: Arstechnica.net

GitHub’s Response

GitHub employs automated tools to swiftly detect and remove malicious repositories. However, despite these efforts, some repositories evade detection, posing a persistent threat. GitHub encourages community reporting and has implemented default push protection to prevent accidental data leaks.

Implications

The widespread nature of the attack risks secondary social engineering effects, as naive users unknowingly propagate malware. GitHub’s security measures mitigate risks, but the incident underscores vulnerabilities in the software supply chain. Similar campaigns targeting dependencies highlight the fragility of software supply chain security.

How can PureID help?

Pure ID authentication framework provides enterprise users with individual commit-signing keys. All the changes to code repositories can be cryptographically verified at the build time, if it’s coming from a trusted user or not.

Without cryptographic verification its hard to determine if the code is committed from a  trusted/original author and is free from any unauthorised commits or sanctity violation.

Removing passwords from authentication flow further hardens the security of the code repositories.

Conclusion

GitHub’s battle against malicious forks underscores the ongoing challenges in securing the software supply chain. Vigilance, community reporting, and enhanced security measures are essential to effectively mitigate risks in the ever-evolving threat landscape.

See Also:

GitHub says #GoPasswordless

Securing Cloud Environments: Lessons from the Microsoft Azure Breach

Posted on by Srishti Chaubey

Introduction

In the wake of the recent Microsoft Azure breach, it has become increasingly evident that organizations must prioritise enhancing their security posture to mitigate the risk of similar incidents in the future. This breach, attributed to compromised passwords & MFA manipulation, underscores the critical importance of implementing passwordless authentication solutions to strengthen overall security.

The Breach

The breach unfolded through a series of sophisticated maneuvers executed by cyber criminals to exploit weaknesses in Azure’s security framework. Initially, phishing emails targeted mid and senior-level executives, enticing them into disclosing their login credentials unwittingly. 

Armed with these credentials, attackers gained unauthorised access to Azure accounts, despite the presence of multi-factor authentication (MFA). By circumventing MFA and substituting victims’ MFA settings with their own, attackers maintained undetected access to Azure resources. 

They further obscured their identities using proxies, evading detection while seizing control of sensitive data and cloud resources.

This helps attackers bypass any poorly designed adaptive authentication solution relying on IP based access restriction or re-authentication.

How Microsoft Azure was Breached

The Lessons

  1. Phishing: Implement Phishing-Resistant Authentication Methods
    • Organisations must adopt phishing-resistant authentication methods to combat prevalent phishing attacks. Staff training alone may not suffice, necessitating solutions that minimise the risk of credential theft.
  2. Credential Theft: Go Passwordless
    • Enhanced credential security with multi-factor authentication is insufficient. Robust password management practices and adaptive MFA solutions have been and will continue to be breached unless you eliminate credentials altogether. Passwordless solutions are the optimal choice for enterprises, as they have been for quiet some time now. Both enterprises and individuals must recognise and adopt it as a standard practice.
  3. MFA Replacement: Implement Continuous Monitoring and Anomaly Detection
    • When you’re using credentials, it’s crucial to keep an eye on them. Continuous monitoring and anomaly detection play a vital role here. They help spot any unauthorised changes in MFA settings promptly, preventing any further access.
  4. Masking Location Using Proxies: Strengthen Adaptive Authentication Checks
    • Strengthening adaptive authentication checks is vital to detect suspicious activities like masked locations. Geo-location based authentication or behavioural biometrics can enhance authentication accuracy.
  5. Cloud Account Takeover: Implement Zero Trust Security Architecture
    • Implementing a Zero-trust security model is crucial to verify every access request, regardless of source or location. Granular access controls and continuous monitoring can mitigate the impact of cloud account takeovers.

Moving Forward

In the aftermath of this breach, organizations must prioritise fortifying their security posture to prevent similar incidents. While passwordless authentication solutions offer promising alternatives, organizations should also concentrate on strengthening existing security protocols, conducting regular security audits, and enhancing employee awareness to mitigate future threats effectively.

Conclusion

The breach of Microsoft Azure serves as a stark reminder of the imperative for proactive cybersecurity measures in safeguarding sensitive data and mitigating the risk of unauthorised access. 

By embracing passwordless authentication solutions and implementing a holistic security strategy, organizations can enhance their resilience against evolving cyber threats and safeguard their invaluable assets effectively.

© 2024 | PureID. All Rights Reserved

Privacy & Terms | Licenses