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Menlo Security Launches Free Security Assessment Toolkit to Help Companies Identify Highly Evasive Adaptive Threats (HEAT) Fueling Ransomware & Data and Credential Theft

June 21, 2022/in Internet Security

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Menlo Security, a leader in cloud security, today announced that it has released the HEAT Security Assessment Toolkit designed to provide organizations with the ability to assess their levels of protection and current exposure to Highly Evasive Adaptive Threats (HEAT). Since July 2021, Menlo Security has seen a 224% increase in HEAT attacks. These attacks allow threat actors to deliver malicious content, including ransomware, to the endpoint by adapting to the targeted environment. The HEAT Security Assessment Toolkit includes a HEAT Check test and a HEAT Analyzer that runs on the Splunk Platform. The HEAT Check enables customers to run a light penetration test to identify if they are susceptible to HEAT attacks. The Menlo Security HEAT Analyzer App for Splunk provides organizations with visibility around HEAT attacks that their network may have been exposed to over the past 30 days.

What is a HEAT Attack?

Highly Evasive Adaptive Threats (HEAT) are a class of cyber threats targeting web browsers as the attack vector and employs techniques to evade multiple layers of detection in current security stacks including firewalls, Secure Web Gateways, sandbox analysis, URL Reputation, and phishing detection. HEAT attacks are used as the initial access point to deliver malware or to compromise credentials, which in many cases leads to ransomware attacks.

“Ransomware, data and credential theft and other malware are on the rise. Couple this with the Log4J vulnerability, the Lazarus and Conti groups increased attacks targeting web browsers and the result is security teams worldwide facing a nearly non-stop barrage of incidents,” said John Grady, Senior Analyst, ESG. “Tools such as the HEAT Security Assessment can help ensure companies are aware of potential attacks before they have a chance to happen.”

HEAT Security Assessment Toolkit

The HEAT Security Assessment Toolkit provides a lightweight penetration and exposure assessment to help an organization better understand their susceptibility to HEAT attacks.

“HEAT attacks are defined by the techniques that adversaries are increasingly using to evade detection by traditional…

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The attacker’s toolkit: Ransomware-as-a-service | VentureBeat

June 12, 2022/in Internet Security

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Security threats evolve just as fast as the technologies used to stop them. New and modified attack strategies are constantly in the works.

To make matters worse, the attack surface within corporate networks is expanding. The push to work from home increased vulnerable points of entry by introducing multitudes of new endpoint devices. The move to cloud-based services and infrastructure has further resulted in a broader and more challenging landscape to defend.

In recent years, threat actors have begun collaborating with each other in a ransomware-as-a-service (RaaS) model to infiltrate organizations. The RaaS model allows the developers of a ransomware variant to recruit affiliates that exclusively use their ransomware in targeted attacks on organizations. Any ransom payments extorted out of the victims are then divided up between the ransomware developers and affiliate who conducted the attack.

Use of RaaS is still skyrocketing. In fact, one report estimates that 64% of all ransomware attacks were conducted through the RaaS model in 2020.

An industry of its own

RaaS comes in several forms. There are many pricing strategies used by ransomware providers and a variety of nefarious tools available for purchase. Many come bundled with instructions for how to carry out attacks, best practices, ransom strategies, and even an IT help desk. Basically, RaaS can provide the kind of documentation and architecture you’d expect with a popular business SaaS offering, a far cry from the stereotypical, hoodie-wearing rogue actor depicted in pop culture.

Like the SaaS industry, RaaS pricing strategies differ between providers. Some offer their attack services as a one-time purchase, some offer them on subscription plans, and others combine subscriptions with a cut of the ransom fee paid to the developer after a successful attack. Others are highly selective in customer selection, only accepting ‘reputable’ attackers with a proven track record.

The critical piece of…

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