Critical Infrastructure Security, Breach, Training

Public sector cyberattacks spike

Government agencies and public sector organizations experienced a 40% increase in cyberattacks between the first and second quarters of 2023, reports TechRadar. Such growth in cyberattack prevalence has been fueled by the lucrativeness of data breaches, the costs of which have increased by 15% during the past three years, as well as the mounting utilization of generative artificial intelligence, which has enabled the deployment of convincing phishing schemes even among lower-skilled threat actors, a report from KnowBe4 showed. Such findings should prompt the implementation of more robust security awareness programs among employees, according to researchers. "Through proper training initiatives, this cost-effective and straightforward approach can effectively counteract social engineering tactics. However, as the sophistication of attacks designed to exploit the human factor increases, the continuous reinforcement of a strong security culture is an indispensable tool for enduring digital defense and operational continuity," said KnowBe4 CEO Stu Sjouwerman.

Related

Details on 2021 Chemonics hack remain scant

International development firm Chemonics, which mainly caters to the United States Agency of International Development, has not yet provided more extensive information regarding a cyberattack that compromised more than 6,000 individuals initially reported in July 2021, reports FedScoop.

Media, think tank, service spoofing conducted in APT42 cyberespionage operations

Iranian state-backed hacking operation APT42 — also known as Mint Sandstorm, Mint Phosphorous, Charming Kitten, and TA453 — has spoofed major news organizations, including The Washington Post, think tanks, such as the McCain Institute, and internet services, such as Gmail, YouTube, and Google Drive, as part of cyberespionage campaigns against journalists and human rights activists, reports CyberScoop.

Feds warn of new Kimsuky phishing attack techniques

The U.S. State Department, National Security Agency, and the FBI have issued a joint advisory warning organizations across the country, especially educational entities, non-profits, and think tanks, regarding the increasingly advanced phishing techniques leveraged by North Korean state-backed hacking group Kimsuky, also known as APT43, Emerald Sleet, and Velvet Chollima, Nextgov reports.

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