Tag Archive for: common

Six Common Ways That Malware Strains Get Their Names

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You’re likely familiar with the names of common malware strains such as MOUSEISLAND, Agent Tesla and TrickBot. But do you know how new malware threats get their names?

As a cybersecurity writer, I quickly add new strains to my vocabulary. But I never knew how they came to have those names in the first place. After writing numerous articles on malware, I decided to dig deep into the naming conventions to shed some light on that question. As it turns out, a name can tell you a lot about the malware itself — but it can also sow some confusion. 

Threat Group Names

First, let’s talk about the difference between group names and malware strain names since they often intertwine and sometimes impact each other. With a one-hit-wonder group or a group with no known name, occasionally, the malware shares the group name. However, in most cases, there is a unique name for both the group and the malware.

You can often learn a lot about a group from its name. Group names often reference the nation-state associated with the group, such as Bear for Russia and Panda for China. The name often reflects the group’s motivation as well. “Spider” in the name means that money motivates a group, and “Jackals” refer to hacktivists.

A Few Common Naming Conventions

Now let’s get back to the question of how malware strains themselves are named. The short answer is that strains are named in several different ways. Of course, there are always outliers that get their names in a totally different way, so these are just common examples.

Typically if a cyber criminal doesn’t name their strain themselves, a cybersecurity researcher creates the name. The primary researcher of the strain or attack will usually come up with the name, and they sometimes assign one that seems random — but there is usually a pattern or at least some loose methodology.

And yes, that has led to many issues — especially misidentification and misnaming. Without an industry-wide database that lists the official names of all strains, some strains even end up with multiple names. Because many strains turn into families, researchers and the media must use consistent naming conventions. Otherwise, these labels can cause…

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Cyberattack turns up the heat on common security problems

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A cyberattack on Suffolk County, New York, crippled county services and resulted in the leaking of personal information from hundreds of thousands of its residents late last year.

The hack, which has so far cost the county more than $6 million in recovery expenses according to local reports, prompted Suffolk lawmakers to launch a special legislative committee to investigate its origins. 

Among the departments affected was the Traffic and Parking Violation Agency. Its server was compromised by the attack and some residents’ personal information may have been accessed by hackers, county officials said. While systems were down, emergency responders and other services relied on pen and paper.

A forensic investigation issued in December by Palo Alto Networks cited several factors for the cyberattack, including delayed security upgrades and insufficient management. At a December press conference to discuss the investigation’s findings, Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone said the county’s “existing system fails county government and the taxpayers.”

Many of the issues raised by the forensic report highlight ongoing challenges all state and local governments face as they contend with increasingly sophisticated cyberattacks.

One of the findings blamed Suffolk County’s inability to address the Log4j vulnerability identified by the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency in 2021, which the investigation found was first exploited by Suffolk County’s hackers that same year.

At the time the Log4j vulnerability was discovered, CISA Director Jen Easterly said in a statement it posed “an unacceptable risk to federal network security.” She not only urged federal agencies to immediately patch their system, but said agencies and organizations “large and small” should “follow the federal government’s lead.”

Bellone said during his press conference that Suffolk County could have followed the federal government’s guidance, but it did not install a $1.4 million hardware update that could have averted the vulnerability. Bellone said in retrospect, he should have “acted more aggressively to address that issue,” although he noted that in June a county committee…

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Most Common Passwords List 2022 — Passwords Hackers Easily Guess

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If your password appears on this passwords list, you’re an easy target for hackers.

20 Most Common Passwords Infographic

RD.com

When it comes to creating an online account, many of us would rather remember a code than create really good passwords. In our defense, it’s hard to keep track of endless log-ins! According to technology expert Burton Kelso, it’s human nature to fall into a predictable routine when it comes to our passwords list. “We tend to create passwords based on things familiar to us, such as common words, names, and locations,” he explains.

That’s not the only password sin we’re guilty of. “It’s tempting to use one easy-to-remember password, like your dog’s name, for all your passwords. These kinds of passwords make people feel safe because they’re so easy to remember,” says George Finney, the chief information security officer at Southern Methodist University. “Today, it’s about as difficult for a cybercriminal to get your password as it is to make a cup of coffee, particularly if you use the same passwords for everything you do online.”

But as they say, knowledge is power. To stay safe online and avoid spyware, identity theft, and other issues, you need to know a few secrets that hackers don’t want you to know—including the fact that they’ll first try these common methods and use a passwords list in order to get their hands on your personal information. Start by making sure your passwords don’t appear below. If they do, replace them with strong passwords and boost your online security by using two-factor authentication. Then learn how to tell if your computer has been hacked so you can tackle a breach as soon as it occurs.

The top 20 most common passwords list

Mobile security firm Lookout recently published a passwords list of the 20 most common passwords found in leaked account information on the dark web. Some of the most commonly used passwords are obvious, but others are a bit more surprising.

  • 123456
  • 123456789
  • Qwerty
  • Password
  • 12345
  • 12345678
  • 111111
  • 1234567
  • 123123
  • Qwerty123
  • 1q2w3e
  • 1234567890
  • DEFAULT
  • 0
  • Abc123
  • 654321
  • 123321
  • Qwertyuiop
  • Iloveyou
  • 666666

How hackers use a passwords list

There are several websites that offer password lists, says Kelso….

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Does your password hack it? Research reveals most common security words in U.S.

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(© Pixels Hunter – stock.adobe.com)

In the 2022 edition of NordPass’s annual research of Top 200 most common passwords in the United States, how pop culture influences our password habits is also analyzed.

The no. 1 password in the U.S. is “guest,” and it is also trending worldwide, along with “welcome.” In the United Kingdom, “guest” is the third most common password and the fifth most common in Canada.

More than 4.9 million times makes “password” the most loved password around the world, but it is third among American users. In the U.S., variations such as “Password1” and “password123” are more common.

After analysis of categories such as sports, food, movies and fashion brands, researchers found that culture, lifestyle trends and recent events have a huge effect on American password choice. Extremely popular passwords in the U.S. are often variations of professional sports team names, including Detroit Red Wings and Boston Red Sox.

American Internet users like to keep it simple. NordPass’s research found that, while easily hacked, simple keyboard combinations such as “a1b2c3” and “abc123” are very popular.

According to NordPass, the sample of passwords available for their research this year was smaller than in previous years, and reflects global trends. Passwords are becoming more difficult to hack because more websites use the Open Authorization 2.0 framework. Adoption of multi-factor authentication is increasing.

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