Tag Archive for: suggests

3CX CEO suggests state-sponsored hackers behind supply chain malware attack

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Business communications firm 3CX confirmed the downloader for its voice over IP (VoIP) desktop software has been tampered with and now installs a version that sideloads malware onto a victim’s computer

The issue, dubbed ‘SmoothOperator’, is believed to be a supply chain malware attack carried out by a suspected state-sponsored threat actor, with attacks starting last week, according to user reports.

3CX revealed in a blog post on Thursday that it noticed a “security issue” in its Electron Windows App with Update 7, version numbers 18.12.407 & 18.12.416.

It added that antivirus vendors may have flagged the legitimate 3CXDesktopApp.exe and uninstalled it.

3CX said it was still researching the issue, but believes it originated in one of the bundled libraries it compiled into the Windows Electron App via GIT. The domains contacted by the compromised library have already been reported, with most shut off overnight, said CISO Pierre Jourdan.

“A GitHub repository which listed them has also been shut down, effectively rendering it harmless,” he said.

“Worth mentioning – this appears to have been a targeted attack from an Advanced Persistent Threat, perhaps even state-sponsored, that ran a complex supply chain attack and picked who would be downloading the next stages of their malware,” said Jourdan. “The vast majority of systems, although they had the files dormant, were in fact never infected.”

The company is currently working on a new Windows App that isn’t affected by the issue, and will also issue a new certificate for the app. Jourdan said this will take at least 24 hours.

He also encouraged customers to use its PWA app, which is completely web-based. “The advantage is that it does not require any installation or updating and chrome web security is applied automatically,” he said.

3CX CEO Nick Galea said in a company forum post that the issue was reported to the organisation on the evening of 29 March.

He recommended uninstalling the app and installing it again, and added that if customers are running Windows Defender it will uninstall it automatically. Galea said the company is going to analyse the issue and release a report later on Thursday, but is now only…

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Cyber hacking soars during home working, research suggests

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Cyber attacks due to working from home have cost businesses £374million since the Covid crisis began, according to research.

A survey of 450 top finance and risk professionals at UK-listed companies found almost two-thirds of firms had suffered a cyber attack or data breach in the first 18 months of the pandemic.

Most of these companies said they had lost money or revenue as a result.

The majority of these attacks – 82 per cent – could be attributed to tech issues or behaviour related to working from home, the research from software group Diligent found.



Cyber attacks due to working from home have cost businesses £374million since the Covid crisis began, according to research (stock image)

© Provided by Daily Mail
Cyber attacks due to working from home have cost businesses £374million since the Covid crisis began, according to research (stock image)

Remote working presents huge challenges for businesses’ security due to issues such as weak antivirus software, insecure internet connections and the use of platforms such as Zoom which can be hacked.

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And it could continue to be costly for firms whose employees want to work in a ‘hybrid’ shift pattern that splits time between home and the office. 

Government figures in the year to March 2021 found four in ten businesses and a quarter of UK charities had experienced cyber breaches in the previous year.

Companies including Disney, Santander, Royal Bank of Scotland and FTSE 250 mining services company Weir Group have all fallen prey to hackers – though this was not related to home working. 



Remote working presents huge challenges for businesses’ security due to issues such as weak antivirus software, insecure internet connections and the use of platforms such as Zoom which can be hacked (stock image)

© Provided by Daily Mail
Remote working presents huge challenges for businesses’ security due to issues such as weak antivirus software, insecure internet connections and the use of platforms such as Zoom which can be hacked (stock image)


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Interior ministry suggests seven anti-hacking tricks

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Content image - Phnom Penh Post

The interior ministry’s information technology department suggests seven ways to protect computers from hackers. Interior ministry

The Ministry of Interior’s Department of Information Technology has presented seven tips to protect the security of computers and computer systems across the Kingdom to prevent hackers from trespassing and committing cybercrimes.

The department said that while computers play an important role in facilitating many general tasks in the modern world, they also have the potential to cause harm, as any computer that is connected to the internet is capable of being hacked.

They said there were many computers around the world that had been hacked and used to commit various crimes, like extortion, fraud, or the ordering

of illegal goods. To prevent theft

through technology, the ministry has shared seven key tips – using a firewall, updating system and software, avoiding “free” security scans, downloading files with precautions, installing reputable security software, backing up important data; and using a pop-up blocker.

According to the department, a firewall is a protective barrier between a computer and the internet. Everything that goes in and out of a computer must pass through the Firewall. If any viruses attempt to enter the computer, the firewall will immediately block them from access.

The software and internal systems of each company’s computer are constantly being updated for security reasons, so it is important to update the operating system and software regularly, every time an update is issued.

The department also advised people against using anti-virus software that is available for free download from any website as it may contain links to viruses.

People should avoid downloading programmes from any website that they are not familiar with and refrain from downloading files, videos or songs that anonymous people have sent to them as they could contain viruses.

As a precaution, they are advised to use anti-virus and anti-spyware software to remove any viruses that may be on their computer and to prevent new ones from attaching themselves to the system. If the computer already has this software installed, viruses will not be able to…

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Google warns cryptocurrency miners are hacking cloud accounts, suggests ways to counter cyber threat

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The biggest threat plaguing cyberspace though, is one that’s trying to make the most out of today’s big buzzword, aka cryptocurrency. (Reuters Image)

© Provided by The Financial Express
The biggest threat plaguing cyberspace though, is one that’s trying to make the most out of today’s big buzzword, aka cryptocurrency. (Reuters Image)

Global search engine giant Google has revealed that hackers are increasingly targeting compromised cloud accounts to mine cryptocurrency. The revelation is part of a new report from Google’s in-house cybersecurity action team.

Google’s cybersecurity team, which spots cyber threats and gives advice on how to tackle them, has come out with a report called “threat horizon” that sheds light on multiple threats currently looming in cyberspace.

As per the report, Russian state hackers have been attempting to dupe users into giving away their passwords on the pretence that they were being targeted by government-backed attackers. In North Korea, hackers have been trying to lure users with fraudulent job offers from big-ticket firms like Samsung.

Crypto miners hacking Google cloud accounts

The biggest threat plaguing cyberspace though, is one that’s trying to make the most out of today’s big buzzword, aka cryptocurrency.

Since “mining” blockchains that underpin cryptocurrencies require a significant amount of computing power and expensive software, 86 per cent of the cloud computing hacks are said to be used to perform cryptocurrency mining.

Democratic countries need to think about creating safe, accountable internet: MoS IT

The cryptocurrency mining software area is downloaded within 22 seconds after the cloud account has been hacked. Cyber-attackers take advantage of vulnerable third-party software and poor customer security to perform the hacks.

Other forms of cyber threat

The Google report says in one instance 12,000 Gmail accounts were targeted by the Russian government-backed hacking group APT28, also known as Fancy Bear, where users were tricked into handing over their user details through email.

Google says the attack was neutralised after all the phishing emails were blocked –’which focused on the UK, the US and India-and no users’ details had been compromised.’

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In another…

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