3 Interesting Articles

Confronted with Chinese hacking threat, industrial cybersecurity pros ask: What else is new?
CyberScoop: At the S4X24 industrial cybersecurity conference, experts downplayed U.S. warnings about Chinese hacking as not new, viewing them as part of the current landscape of threats to critical infrastructure. Experts dismissed the heightened alarm over operations like Volt Typhoon as overblown, stressing that targeting strategic assets is expected. Despite these reassurances, some attendees expressed concerns about the industry’s complacency and the need for a more proactive defense approach amidst rapid digitization. The discussions highlighted a gap in actionable intelligence from the government to effectively protect infrastructure and criticized the focus on potential state threats over immediate dangers like ransomware from criminal groups. The evolving stealth tactics of Chinese hackers, aiming for long-term access without typical indicators of compromise, underscore the challenge in defending against these threats. Overall, the conference called for a broader recognition of the geopolitical dynamics at play in cybersecurity, with some suggesting that the visibility of Chinese hacking attempts serves as a strategic signal akin to mutually assured destruction in cyber warfare.

FCC Agrees to Cyber Trust Mark for IoT Products
Infosecurity Magazine: The US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has launched a voluntary cybersecurity labeling initiative for IoT products, enabling manufacturers to showcase compliance with robust cybersecurity standards through a new ‘US Cyber Trust Mark’. This mark aims to assist consumers in identifying secure smart devices by providing crucial security information, such as the duration of support and update mechanisms. Initiated in 2023, the program aims to incentivize manufacturers to enhance product security in light of increasing cyber threats targeting IoT devices, projected to surpass 29 billion by 2030. Managed by the FCC, this initiative mirrors global efforts to bolster smart device security, similar to recent EU and UK legislations. FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel highlighted the potential of the Cyber Trust Mark to become a global standard for IoT security, emphasizing collaboration across sectors for widespread adoption. However, the voluntary nature of the program suggests that its impact may gradually unfold, with the standards not covering medical devices regulated by the FDA.

Esports league postponed after players hacked midgame
Tech Crunch: During a live-streamed Apex Legends Global Series match, two esports competitors, Genburten and ImperialHal, experienced unexpected hacks, leading to the tournament’s postponement. Genburten’s gameplay abruptly included a “wallhack,” allowing visibility of opponents through obstacles, while ImperialHal gained an “aimbot,” automating enemy targeting. The disruptions included on-screen cheat menus and in-game messages attributed to “Destroyer2009 &R4andom.” Following these incidents, the Apex Legends Esports account announced the North American finals’ suspension for integrity concerns. The game’s publisher, Electronic Arts, and the players have not commented. Easy Anti-Cheat addressed concerns, stating no remote code execution vulnerability was found in their system.

2 Stats You Should Know

Over a third of organizations have suffered a material cyber incident from bad actors in the last year. (source)

Kevin Mitnick, known as a pioneering cybercriminal, breached highly secure networks like Motorola and Nokia from 1970 to 1995 using sophisticated social engineering. He later transformed into an ethical hacker and passed away in 2023.

1 More Thing

Here is a quick look at ransomware leak site victims from Q1 2021 to Q4 2023. Ransomware incidents in Q4 2023 decreased by 7% from Q3 2023, totaling 1,278 victims, yet marked a 69% surge from Q4 2022, indicating a “new normal” of high activity. This deviation from the usual Q4 peak is primarily due to two major disruptions: the takedown of the Qakbot malware network in August, impacting attackers’ access to networks, and law enforcement’s disruption of the ALPHV/BlackCat ransomware gang, affecting overall numbers.