The Cyber News Rundown brings you the latest happenings in cyber news weekly. Who am I? I’m Connor Madsen, a Webroot Threat Research Analyst, and a guy with a passion for all things security. Any more questions? Just ask.
Brothers Printers Vulnerable to Major Exploit
Researchers have discovered an exploit in several Brothers printer models that would allow attackers to issue a continuing DDoS attack against the printer, rendering it unusable. By sending a fraudulent HTTP request to the device, the attackers could then use the printer against itself by forcing a cycle of printer errors, followed swiftly by another phony HTTP request. Although this exploit only affects printer models with a web interface, its discovery sheds light on much more basic security flaws, such as not changing the default password or allowing unrestricted remote access.
Password Hackers Have Reached New Heights
As cybercriminals and their tools get more and more advanced, it’s no surprise that the use of traditional passwords may have finally met its end. Password cracking software has gone from taking years to days to hours to complete, so human-created passwords may now leave many institutions less secure than they could be, and have contributed to numerous data breaches in the last few years.
Ride-Hailing Service Leaves Servers Unsecured
In the least week or so, a server belonging to Fasten, a Boston-based ride-hailing service, was found to be publicly accessible for at least 48 hours; the timeframe may have been longer. The server in question contained personal data for both passengers and drivers, along with data about customer devices and the vehicles used. Fortunately for many users, the company worked quickly to secure the server and improve their data security policies.
Pro-ISIS Hacking Group Targets U.S. School Websites
Recently, the primary websites for at least 800 schools across the U.S. were hacked by a Pro-ISIS group to redirect site visitors to an Arabic YouTube propaganda video. The hacked sites were all linked through an academic website building service called SchoolDesk. SchoolDesk claims no personal information was exposed during the breach, though this news is difficult to confirm. This attack isn’t the worst one perpetrated by the hacking group, but it is the most recent, and the hackers have stated each of their victims has had limited security protocols.
IcedID Banking Trojan Spreads to US
Over the last several days, researchers have been tracking a new banking Trojan that has swiftly spread across the US. IcedID employs both redirection attacks and browser injection, which is fairly unusual. Previously, these tactics have only been combined by Dridex, a highly advanced banking Trojan. By using the botnet built by the Emotet Trojan, IcedID can deploy onto previously infected systems, causing even more damage.
