Sunday, October 09, 2022 // (IG): BB // INTSUM // Coffee for Bob
Starlink Outages Put 'Dent' in Ukrainian Counteroffensive Against Putin
Analyst note: The impact could possibly be inflated for propaganda reasons. Russian EW/ASAT efforts have been focused on countering Starlink - so this could also be success in that arena. (interesting forum thread)
FROM THE MEDIA: Starlink communications device outages are straining the Ukrainian military as it mounts a counteroffensive to take back territory occupied by the Russians, according to Ukrainian officials. Starlink, a satellite internet system operated by SpaceX, deployed technology to Ukraine after Russia invaded the country in late February. The company's billionaire CEO Elon Musk recently estimated that the company has spent $80 million in remote internet terminals for the Eastern European country. However, the Financial Times reported on Friday that a senior government official in Ukraine said Starlink outages have created a "catastrophic" loss of communication on the frontlines of the war in Ukraine.
READ THE STORY: Newsweek // iTECHPOST // FT
Elon Musk refused to comment on problems with Starlink in the Armed Forces of Ukraine
FROM THE MEDIA: "As for what happens on the battlefield, it's classified," Musk wrote. At the same time, the entrepreneur did not ignore the Financial Times report itself, which spoke of failures. According to the publication, in recent weeks, some outages of Starlink network equipment have led to "catastrophic loss of communication" in the Armed Forces of Ukraine. “Bad reporting from the FT. This article falsely claims that Starlink terminals and services were paid when only a small percentage was paid,” Musk said.
READ THE STORY: RGRU
Iran state TV apparently hacked live on air
FROM THE MEDIA: Iran's state-run Network One TV was apparently hacked on Saturday. Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei was speaking on screen before an image of a mask interrupted the broadcast, followed by a photograph of him surrounded by flame graphics, with a target on his head. Photos of Mahsa Amini and three other women killed in recent nationwide protests also appeared. The brief interruption ended when the output returned to the studio and the presenter continued speaking.
READ THE STORY: BBC
Lloyd’s of London investigates alleged cyber attack
FROM THE MEDIA: The incident comes after the entire insurance industry was alerted of cyber attacks as a result of the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine. Companies in the insurance market condemned Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and supported sanctions against Moscow. Both UK and European Union banned on insuring ships carrying Russian oil. In August, Lloyd’s of London told to its insurance syndicates that it will no cover losses caused by cyber attacks conducted by nation-state actors and resulting from malicious activities related the ongoing conflict.
READ THE STORY: Security Affairs
Binance Hackers Minted $569M in Crypto—Then It Got Complicated
FROM THE MEDIA: Another day, another massive hack in the cryptocurrency industry. But this one is strange. Binance revealed Friday that unidentified hackers managed to exploit a flaw in the company's BNB Chain crypto token, allowing them to mint 2 million of the company’s decentralized tokens worth a total of $569 million. That money wasn’t actually stolen from Binance, in other words, but rather fabricated out of thin air thanks to a flaw in the security of Binance’s cryptocurrency.
READ THE STORY: Wired // HackRead
Iran grapples with all-out cyber war
FROM THE MEDIA: The Islamic Republic has been subject to a cognitive cyber war that is unprecedented in terms of creating perceptions of downfall in a stable country where people continue to live their normal lives. The venue for this war is social media which has been abuzz with footage and videos purportedly showing that the Islamic Republic is on the verge of collapse, if not already cracked up.
READ THE STORY: Tehran Times
Callback phishing attacks evolve their social engineering tactics
FROM THE MEDIA: Callback phishing operations have evolved their social engineering methods, keeping old fake subscriptions lure for the first phase of the attack but switching to pretending to help victims deal with an infection or hack. Successful attacks infect victims with a malware loader that drops additional payloads such as remote access trojans, spyware, and ransomware. Callback phishing attacks are email campaigns pretending to be high-priced subscriptions designed to lead to confusion by the recipient as they never subscribed to these services.
READ THE STORY: Bleeping Computer
What Is a Hyperjacking Attack and Are You at Risk
FROM THE MEDIA: Cybercriminals constantly devise new ways of stealing precious data and using it to their advantage. Data is hugely valuable within dark markets, and a single malicious actor could stand to make millions from selling illegally acquired information. Hyperjacking is another illicit method that can be used to spy on victims, control devices, and steal valuable information. So, what is hyperjacking, and how can you stay safe from it?
READ THE STORY: MUO
ADATA denies RansomHouse cyberattack, says leaked data from 2021 breach
FROM THE MEDIA: Taiwanese chip maker ADATA denies claims of a RansomHouse cyberattack after the threat actors began posting stolen files on their data leak site. The RansomHouse gang added ADATA files to their data leak site on Tuesday, claiming they stole 1TB worth of documents in a 2022 cyberattack. The threat actors also leaked samples of allegedly stolen files, which appear to belong to the company. However, in a statement to BleepingComputer, ADATA says it had not suffered a recent cyberattack and that the leaked files are from a May 2021 RagnarLocker ransomware attack when 1.5 TB of data was stolen.
READ THE STORY: Bleeping Computer
U.S treasury seeks comment on Cryptos Illicit Finance risks
FROM THE MEDIA: The US Treasury Department is seeking comments from the public on the possible illegal finance and risks of national security posed by digital assets’ use. It is part of the agency’s mandate under the March executive order of President Biden. It is for studying crypto development. This request for comment was issued on Monday. It asks the public for any suggestions for mitigating such risks by the 3rd November deadline.
READ THE STORY: TechBuzz Ireland
What is RatMilad Malware and How to Remove it From Android Devices
FROM THE MEDIA: A new malware named “RatMilad” is posing a serious threat to Android users worldwide. Mobile security firm Zimperium Labs has highlighted the risk associated with the threat. Learn what is RatMilad spyware and how to remove the malware from Android devices. RatMilad is an Android threat from the Remote Access Trojan (RAT) category having spyware capabilities. It was discovered targeting users in the Middle East on a large basis by mobile security firm Zimperium Labs.
READ THE STORY: The Teal Mango
Chip industry rethinks Taiwan risk after Pelosi visit but options limited
FROM THE MEDIA: Chinese missiles flying over Taiwan and naval drills in the Strait in August that simulated a blockade by China have jolted the semiconductor industry into contemplating what once seemed a remote possibility: war over the major chip-producing island. From drafting contingency plans to inquiring about manufacturing capacity outside Taiwan, some companies are now weighing how to respond if China attacks or restricts access to the democratic island, according to 15 semiconductor executives interviewed by Reuters.
READ THE STORY: SN
Google Warns Hackers Not To Break Anything & Don’t Chloroform The Security Guards
FROM THE MEDIA: Google has released a documentary video series on YouTube called Hacking Google. No, it's not a masterclass in breaching security defenses at Google, but rather an insight into how security teams within Google protect the business from cyber attacks: the Threat Analysis Group, Project Zero, and the Red Team. The latter actually does hack Google, or attempt to, using the same techniques that real attackers would. There are six episodes in all, none of which run for longer than 20 minutes.
READ THE STORY: Forbes
Meta says it detected more than 400 malware apps targeting users’ Facebook login information
FROM THE MEDIA: Facebook’s parent company Meta said on Friday that it has detected more than 400 malware apps this year designed to steal users’ Facebook login information. The apps, which were listed on the Google Play Store and Apple App Store, were disguised to look like fun or useful apps, from photo editors to VPNs to fitness trackers, Meta said in a press release.
READ THE STORY: The Hill
NIST Wants To Regulate Stablecoins For Better Safety And Security For Users
FROM THE MEDIA: The US-based National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) is trying to regulate the digital space in the nation. As the Biden government is taking steps to get involved in the crypto space and currency market, NIST announced draft regulations on the stablecoin platform. For a better understanding of stablecoin technology and its security related guidelines, NIST recently prepared a draft to ensure the safety and security of stablecoins.
READ THE STORY: The Coin Republic
United Airlines says it’ll use electric planes for flights under 200 miles
FROM THE MEDIA: United Airlines, one of the largest airlines in the world, has shared preliminary plans to get an electric fleet of planes airborne at CNBC's ESG Impact Virtual Conference on Thursday. The aviation giant is optimistic about the endeavor and is projecting it could have electric powered commercial flights by the tail end of this decade, potentially laying the groundwork for a much more environmentally friendly future for air travel.
READ THE STORY: The_Byte
The Bad Year of Chipmakers AMD, Nvidia and Intel Turns Into a Nightmare
FROM THE MEDIA: It's a bad dream that slowly turned into a nightmare. And this nightmare doesn't seem to want to end. The year 2022 has been a painful journey for semiconductor manufacturers. Following the example of AMD (AMD) - Get Advanced Micro Devices Inc. Report, Nvidia (NVDA) - Get NVIDIA Corporation Report and Intel (INTC) - Get Intel Corporation Report, which are the three main players in the sector, 2022 is a year to forget .Their valuations are in recession.
READ THE STORY: MSN
Somalia warns media not to publish al-Shabab propaganda
FROM THE MEDIA: President Mohamud has launched a campaign against the al-Qaeda-linked group during the struggle for stability. Somalia’s government has declared a crackdown on media organizations that publish what it deems propaganda for the armed group al-Shabab, warning offenders will be punished. The armed forces, backed by local militias and international allies, have waged an aggressive campaign against the al-Qaeda-linked group.
READ THE STORY: SN
Pakistan: A threat of 5th generation warfare
FROM THE MEDIA: In the epoch of digitalization and technological development, developing countries must ensure their cyber security and official data from data theft. Daily, we come across news that some of the official or country’s company’s sites have been hacked. According to an Economic Times report last year, Chinese hackers hacked American business sites; the case of tampering with US networking business Solar Winds is the recent story.
READ THE STORY: Pakistan Today
China Claims that the US is Exploiting trade Restrictions Through Chip Export Prohibitions
FROM THE MEDIA: China claims that the US is exploiting trade restrictions through chip export prohibitions. According to China’s foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning, new U.S. export limits aimed at Chinese chip producers are an abuse of trade sanctions and intended to uphold the nation’s “technological superiority.” The U.S. government released a comprehensive set of export limitations on Friday, one of which barred China from obtaining specific semiconductor chips produced elsewhere in the globe using U.S. machinery.
READ THE STORY: TechStory
Kremlin creates new operator to exploit oil field inoperative since September
FROM THE MEDIA: The Russian government has created a new operator for the exploitation of the Russian oil and gas field Sakhalin-1, months after the U.S. oil company ExxonMobil decided to stop operating in the country due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, leaving the field inoperative for months. This new operator will receive the rights and responsibilities of the participants in the project, of which ExxonMobil controlled 30 percent and operated with Russian, Indian and Japanese companies, as reported by the TASS agency.
READ THE STORY: Royals Blue
Estimated $4B laundered via DEXs, coin swaps and bridges
FROM THE MEDIA: Criminals are now turning to decentralized applications to launder money and obfuscate their criminal activities, a new report by blockchain analytics firm Elliptic has revealed. These criminals laundered over $4 billion through decentralized exchanges (DEXs), coin swaps, and cross-chain bridges, the report, titled “The state of cross-chain crime,” found. The most prolific perpetrators were Ponzi schemes, ransomware operators, dark web markets, hackers, and illicit gambling platforms, Elliptic disclosed.
READ THE STORY: Coin Geek // Coin Culture
How much territory does Ukraine control? Use this interactive map to find out
FROM THE MEDIA: The article was originally published in June. It has been updated in light of recent events. Beginning in late August, Ukraine’s armed forces launched a counteroffensive to retake occupied areas in the Kharkiv, Donetsk and Luhansk regions of the country. Throughout September the counteroffensive successfully retook a large area of the east, and in October Ukraine announced gains in its counteroffensive in the south. In an address on 4 October, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky said, “The Ukrainian army is carrying out a pretty fast and powerful advance in the south of our country as part of the current defence operation.”
READ THE STORY: NewStatesman
New Biden counterterrorism strategy puts limits on drone use
FROM THE MEDIA: President Joe Biden on Friday formally issued new guidance curtailing the use of armed drones outside of war zones as part of a new counterterrorism strategy that places a greater priority on protecting civilian lives. The new policies require presidential approval before a suspected terrorist is added to the U.S. government’s target list for potential lethal action, including drone strikes and special operations raids, according to a senior administration official who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the classified memoranda.
READ THE STORY: SN
It Only Took An Hour for MEV Bot to Lose
FROM THE MEDIA: (9-28-22)‘We Got Careless’ Victim Tells Hacker in Bid to Recover Lost ETH. An MEV bot operator made 800 ETH in a single transaction on Sept. 28, before losing a whopping 1,100 ETH just one hour later, according to Bert Miller, the product lead of Flashbots, an MEV research team. Miller flagged the transactions on Twitter. He said the address in question, which begins with the alphanumeric code ‘0xbaDc0dE’, executed 220,000 transactions over the past few months. The activity was highly indicative of MEV bot behavior.
READ THE STORY: SN
Bank of Brasilia to pay 50 BTC after a ransomware
FROM THE MEDIA: A report by Tecmundo, a local media publication, said that one of the hackers, dubbed “Crydal, got in touch with them, informing them that the bank was required to pay 5.2 million Brazilian reals by 15:00 on October 06. The ransomware attack against the bank is being investigated by the Special Police Department for the Supervision of Cybercrime. An anonymous source interviewed by Tecmundo said that the hackers exploited the “LockBit” ransomware.
READ THE STORY: Inside Bitcoins
US Army pursues synced electronic warfare systems
FROM THE MEDIA: The U.S. Army is assembling a family of systems to provide soldiers with electronic warfare, signals intelligence and cyber capabilities that they can employ from near and far, on the ground and in the air. The projects — essentially siblings — are known as the Terrestrial Layer System-Brigade Combat Team, TLS-BCT; the Terrestrial Layer System-Echelons Above Brigade, TLS-EAB; and the Multi-Function Electronic Warfare-Air Large, or MFEW-AL.
READ THE STORY: Yahoo News
Items of interest
US agencies unable to stop Chinese intelligence penetration
FROM THE MEDIA: Scores of intelligence agencies of the most powerful country in the world and their collective might are falling short in tackling the impact of overt and covert intelligence that China is indulging in against the United States. This has been stated in a 153-page Senate Select Committee on Intelligence report, a heavily redacted version of which was released last month. In 2022, the budgetary allocation for the National Intelligence Program, which funds activities of US intelligence agencies, including that of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), which deals with external threat, was $62.3 billion or roughly Rs 5.60 trillion, which is more than the entire GDP of Ukraine, and more than that of about 130 of the roughly 190 countries in the world. To compare and put things in perspective, last year’s budgetary allocation for India’s internal intelligence agency, the Intelligence Bureau (IB), was Rs 3,168 crore.
READ THE STORY: TSG
How a Cartel Built Their Own Cell Phone Network (Video)
FROM THE MEDIA: A Cartel Built Their Own Cell Phone Network.
Find cell phone tower location maps instantly (Video)
FROM THE MEDIA: How to find nearest cell tower? Find cell phone tower location maps instantly - Read article at the link above or watch this YouTube video to find out how to find your nearest cell phone tower location.
These open source products are reviewed from analysts at InfoDom Securities and provide possible context about current media trends in regard to the realm of cyber security. The stories selected cover a broad array of cyber threats and are intended to aid readers in framing key publicly discussed threats and overall situational awareness. InfoDom Securities does not specifically endorse any third-party claims made in their original material or related links on their sites, and the opinions expressed by third parties are theirs alone. Contact InfoDom Securities at dominanceinformation@gmail.com