Content by Scott Ferguson

Bestmixer Cryptocurrency Laundering Site Shuttered

Scott Ferguson  •  May 23, 2019

European police have shuttered Bestmixer.io, considered one of the largest underground money laundering websites for cryptocurrencies used in connection with criminal activities, including ransomware attacks.

Owner of Defunct Firm Fined in LeakedSource.com Case

Scott Ferguson  •  May 23, 2019

The former owner of the company behind the LeakedSource.com website, which trafficked in billions of stolen login credentials, will pay a fine equivalent to the money he made off the scam, according to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.

Google Stored Unhashed G Suite Passwords for Years

Scott Ferguson  •  May 22, 2019

Google is notifying administrators and users of its business-oriented G Suite product that the company had been storing unhashed passwords for years because of a flaw in the platform. The company believes no customer data was leaked and that all passwords remained encrypted.

Huawei Gets 90-Day Reprieve on Ban

Scott Ferguson  •  May 21, 2019

The U.S. Commerce Department will offer a 90-day reprieve to a handful of companies that conduct business with Huawei before the Trump administration's ban on the use of the Chinese company's technologies fully kicks in, the Wall Street Journal reports. Meanwhile, Google announces it will continue to work with Huawei.

MuddyWater APT Group Upgrades Tactics to Avoid Detection

Scott Ferguson  •  May 21, 2019

MuddyWater, an advanced persistent threat group that has targeted organizations in the Middle East, has changed some of its tactics to better avoid detection as it continues to plant backdoors within targeted networks, according to new research from Cisco Talos.

DHS Reportedly Warns of Chinese-Made Drones Stealing Data

Scott Ferguson  •  May 20, 2019

The Department of Homeland Security is warning that Chinese-made drones could be sending sensitive data back to their manufacturers, where it can be accessed by the government, according to news reports.

After 2 Years, WannaCry Remains a Threat

Scott Ferguson  •  May 17, 2019

Two years after WannaCry tore a path of destruction through the world, the ransomware remains a danger, with many systems still vulnerable to the EternalBlue or EternalRomance exploits that started it all.

Surge in JavaScript Sniffing Attacks Continues

Scott Ferguson  •  May 16, 2019

The magazine subscription page for Forbes magazine and two web service platforms were hit with separate skimming attacks this week, security researchers say. Attackers are increasingly using JavaScript sniffing to steal credit card and other personal data.

Hack of Japanese Retailer Exposes 460,000 Customer Accounts

Scott Ferguson  •  May 15, 2019

Fast Retailing, the parent company of several of Japan's biggest retail clothing chains, is warning customers of an attack that exposed email addresses and partial credit card information of more than 460,000 of the company's customers. The attackers apparently used credential stuffing techniques.

ScarCruft APT Group Targets Bluetooth With Malware: Report

Scott Ferguson  •  May 15, 2019

ScarCruft, a Korean-speaking APT group that has been targeting organizations mainly in Southeast Asia over the past three years, is developing new malware that targets Bluetooth-enabled devices, according to Kaspersky Lab.

Ransomware Increasingly Hits State and Local Governments

Scott Ferguson  •  May 14, 2019

Over the past two years, the number of ransomware attacks against state and local government agencies has increased. But at the same time, these victims are paying less to attackers. A new analysis by threat intelligence firm Recorded Future asks: Why the discrepancy?

Nigerian BEC Scammers Use Malware to Up the Ante

Scott Ferguson  •  May 13, 2019

A growing area of concern for security researchers is a new crop of business email compromise schemes originating from Nigeria, with scammers upping their game by using new malware. The biggest of the crime gangs is SilverTerrier, according to Palo Alto Network's Unit 42.

Feds Warn of 'Electricfish' Malware Linked to North Korea

Scott Ferguson  •  May 10, 2019

The FBI and the Department of Homeland Security have issued a joint warning about new malware called "Electricfish." Investigators suspect it was developed by the advanced persistent threat group Hidden Cobra, which has been linked to North Korea.

New Skimmer Attack Steals Data From Over 100 E-Commerce Sites

Scott Ferguson  •  May 9, 2019

A new skimmer attack that has injected malicious JavaScript into the payment sections of 105 ecommerce websites is stealing credit card and other customer data, security researchers warn. The news comes after another recent report of similar attacks against online campus stores.

Researchers: Spies Exploit Microsoft Exchange Backdoor

Scott Ferguson  •  May 8, 2019

A sophisticated nation-state spy network has quietly exploited a backdoor in Microsoft Exchange servers that gave attackers unprecedented access to the emails of at least three targets over five years, security firm ESET warns.