IDStrong Weekly Cybersecurity Recap - Dec 31st

The final week of the year has been quite stressful for everyday people as well as those who work in the cybersecurity field.  Neither the pandemic nor digital attacks in the United States and the rest of the world show signs of slowing down.  Here is a quick look at some of the most notable cyberattacks of the year’s final week.

DanderSpritz

DanderSpritz, a framework created by the notorious Equation Hacking Group, is wreaking havoc.  The framework's deployment allows for exploitation through a nasty system called DoubleFeature.  DanderSpritz has been in use dating back to the spring of 2017.  The Shadow Brokers collective is responsible for the framework.  This digital attack transmits ransomware to Windows computers with insufficient patching, implementing plug-ins for the post-exploitation of both Linux and Windows operating systems.  DoubleFeature monitors remote access tools and more, empowering nation-state hackers to obtain unauthorized access to highly sensitive information.

Hellmann

Digital criminals attacked Hellmann to steal information pertaining to the logistics providers' valued clientele.  The extent of the breach has not been revealed.  However, Hellmann executives have admitted some of the data was used inappropriately.  Both Hellmann customers and business partners are in harm's way after the attack.  The hope is that the stolen information is merely used to amplify phishing scams through social manipulation rather than make unauthorized withdrawals from bank accounts, lines of credit, etc.

Shutterfly

Ransomware specialists violated Shutterfly.  Russia’s Conti ransomware group is responsible for the attack.  Though we don't know much about the attack, it has been revealed that the company's subsidiaries ranging from Lifetouch to BorrowLenses and beyond, were violated.  Both the company’s manufacturing and corporate systems were breached.  However, Shutterfly does not store sensitive customer information, so the attack might not cause significant problems beyond the company's first-party information.

Additional Digital Attacks of Note
 

iLOBleed Rootkit  

A new iLOBleed Rootkit that targets HP enterprise service through data wiping was revealed in the year’s final days.  The rootkit zeroes in on HP Enterprise Integrated Lights-Out server management tech to conduct the attacks.  This is the first-ever instance of malware within iLO firmware.

Spar Stores Hacked2

A ransomware gang has disrupted Spar stores.  The digital criminals stole the company's data and dumped it for others' use.  The targeted store operators are in the Ilse of Man and England.  

UK Police Data Breach Update

Earlier this week, it was announced that a group of attorneys representing UK police officers are seeking a litigation order against the Police Federation. The order pertains to a '19 ransomware breach that put the sensitive information of 120,000 police officers into the hands of cyber miscreants.  The group litigation order is the United Kingdom’s equivalent of a class-action lawsuit in the United States of America.

Ubisoft  

Ubisoft finally revealed the cause of its data breach suffered earlier in the year.  The announcement was anti-climactic, stating the breach resulted from user error.  The company’s IT systems were breached, allowing for player data to be stolen.  Ubisoft has reached out to the gamers affected by the breach and implemented protective measures for additional security.