expert-profile | Information Security Buzz

Tom Davison

EMEA Technical Directorfeature_status*/ ?>

Lookout

Comments Dotted : 6

June 04, 2021

Herfordshire County Council Reports Almost 16,000 Cyber ‘Attacks’

A successful phishing attack can compromise both the device and the user’s account.

While this sounds like a high number of attacks it is unfortunately the reality faced by many organisations today. Phishing attacks target individual users, therefore a single campaign may result in hundreds or even thousands of individual attacks being directed at an organisation. It only takes one of these attempts to be successful in order for the intended target to become compromised. Email is a common delivery mechanism, but with the growth of remote working, attackers are shifting their

Users may be lured to disclose credentials or install malware which may lead to further compromise, either of the device itself or cloud services accessible from the device. The current increase in remote working practices makes the security challenge even harder. A higher volume of workers now operate outside of the protection of the corporate security perimeter.

A successful phishing attack can compromise both the device and the user’s account. The attacker can then access that organization’s infrastructure with legitimate credentials and move around until they find valuable assets to exfiltrate. Since attackers use legitimate credentials, they can access most any cloud-based resource including Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) platforms like Google Workspace, Microsoft Office 365, or Workday as well as infrastructure platforms like AWS. To stay resilient, organisations need to focus on continuous monitoring for attacks, placing security at the new perimeter of remote devices and cloud repositories, and training their users in phishing awareness.

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December 18, 2020

Massive Fraud Operation Facilitated By Evil Mobile Emulator Steals Millions From Banks

Customer education helps, but it is also critical to employ run-time application security to spot infected customer devices.

This attack demonstrates the extraordinary lengths that today's well funded and professional cybercriminal groups will go to when the end justifies the means. Mobile devices present a multiplier effect as they become the mainstream platform for online banking. Consumer users need to protect themselves by understanding that mobile devices are not immune. It really is important to keep them updated, but also to verify the safety of installed apps and the validity of links being clicked. Most attacks start with phishing and at Lookout, we saw a 37% jump in mobile phishing in Q1-2020 alone. Mobile security is needed to mitigate that. For the banks, the challenge comes from the huge range of devices being used to access their services which are not under their control. These may be insecure or already compromised. Customer education helps, but it is also critical to employ run-time application security to spot infected customer devices and block the opportunity for fraud. Read Less

November 26, 2020

Mobileiron Vulnerability Used By State-backed Hackers To Break Into Networks – Experts Insight

Mobile Device Management servers are by definition reachable from the public internet making them opportune targets.

The interesting story here is the assertion by cybersecurity agencies in the UK (NCSC) and the US (NSA) that nation-state APT groups are actively exploiting these vulnerabilities, five full months after patches were issued. Mobile Device Management servers are by definition reachable from the public internet making them opportune targets. Offering a gateway to potentially compromise every mobile device in the organisation, the attraction to attackers is clear. This highlights not just the.....Read More

October 27, 2020

European IT Giant Sopra Steria Hit By Ransomware, Portions Of Network Encrypted – Experts Insight

The best defense is to keep systems patched and use security tools that can take advantage of huge datasets.

Cybercriminals are constantly iterating to evade detection and take advantage of new vulnerabilities. As a result, new variants of known malware are not uncommon, they may even be specifically crafted for the intended victim. The best defense is to keep systems patched and use security tools that can take advantage of huge datasets. This allows for proactive and ongoing identification of rogue behaviors rather than a reliance on specific signatures. The more data you can analyze the more chance there is to spot new and emerging threat variants. Equally important is the ability to respond, which requires a 'detection and response' strategy and toolkit to be in place. In this case, Sopra Steria appears to have been able to contain the situation relatively quickly and they are doing the right thing in communicating openly as the situation evolves. Read Less

February 07, 2020

Android Phone Users Targeted By Latest Anubis Banking Trojan Campaign – Expert Reaction

To protect against mobile phishing requires mobile endpoint security on the device itself.

Firstly organisations need visibility into potentially vulnerable Android Operating System versions and risky configurations for all devices accessing business data. By taking an active approach to mobile vulnerability management, enterprises can reduce the potential attack surface. Secondly, employees need to be aware of the dangers and prevalence of mobile phishing attacks. Lookout has observed that 1 in 50 mobile devices in the enterprise encounters a phishing attempt daily. Phishing attacks may target credential theft, or as in this case, attempt to persuade users to install additional malicious applications. With over 83% of phishing attacks coming outside of email, it is not enough to rely on traditional email security. To protect against mobile phishing requires mobile endpoint security on the device itself. This can also keep employees safe from harmful apps and compromised WiFi networks. In addition, employees can limit their own exposure by always installing the latest OS patches, keeping apps up to date, and only installing apps through reputable app stores. When protecting BYOD devices, organisations should look into Mobile Threat Defense solutions that can balance the need for user privacy with the right level of enterprise security. This differs from the traditional approach whereby organisations would try to actively manage all user devices, often seen as intrusive and limiting by employees. Today it is possible for organisations to deploy non-invasive security that protects user privacy and freedom of use, while still ensuring that only secure devices gain access to corporate data. Read Less

October 07, 2019

Comments: New WhatsApp Malicious GIF Image Flaw

It is critical that users update both device operating systems and mobile apps.

Vulnerabilities in mobile operating systems and mobile apps provide the opportunity for attackers to gain persistence on the device, install further malware and leak data. This is the second vulnerability affecting WhatsApp this year and Lookout frequently sees these types of flaws being exploited by attackers, one example being the Pegasus spyware developed by NSO group. It is critical that users update both device operating systems and mobile apps. Enterprise should ensure visibility into.....Read More