Arm Memory Tag Extensions broken by speculative execution

In 2018, chip designer Arm introduced a hardware security feature called Memory Tagging Extensions (MTE) as a defense against memory safety bugs. But it may not be as effective as first hoped. Implemented and supported last year in Google’s Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro phones and previously in Linux, MTE aims to help detect Read more about Arm Memory Tag Extensions broken by speculative execution[…]

Wi-Fi Routers are like an trackers available to everyone

Apple and the satellite-based broadband service Starlink each recently took steps to address new research into the potential security and privacy implications of how their services geo-locate devices. Researchers from the University of Maryland say they relied on publicly available data from Apple to track the location of billions of devices globally — including non-Apple Read more about Wi-Fi Routers are like an trackers available to everyone[…]

Over 165 Snowflake customers didn’t use MFA, says Mandiant

An unknown financially motivated crime crew has swiped a “significant volume of records” from Snowflake customers’ databases using stolen credentials, according to Mandiant. “To date, Mandiant and Snowflake have notified approximately 165 potentially exposed organizations,” the Google-owned threat hunters wrote on Monday, and noted they track the perps as “UNC5537.” The crew behind the Snowflake Read more about Over 165 Snowflake customers didn’t use MFA, says Mandiant[…]

China state hackers infected 20,000 govt and defence Fortinet VPNs, due to at least 2 month unfixed critical vulnerability

Hackers working for the Chinese government gained access to more than 20,000 VPN appliances sold by Fortinet using a critical vulnerability that the company failed to disclose for two weeks after fixing it, Netherlands government officials said. The vulnerability, tracked as CVE-2022-42475, is a heap-based buffer overflow that allows hackers to remotely execute malicious code. Read more about China state hackers infected 20,000 govt and defence Fortinet VPNs, due to at least 2 month unfixed critical vulnerability[…]

Largest ever operation by Europol against botnets hits dropper malware ecosystem

Between 27 and 29 May 2024 Operation Endgame, coordinated from Europol’s headquarters, targeted droppers including, IcedID, SystemBC, Pikabot, Smokeloader, Bumblebee and Trickbot. The actions focused on disrupting criminal services through arresting High Value Targets, taking down the criminal infrastructures and freezing illegal proceeds. This approach had a global impact on the dropper ecosystem. The malware, Read more about Largest ever operation by Europol against botnets hits dropper malware ecosystem[…]

2.8M US folks’ personal info swiped in Sav-Rx IT heist – 8 months ago

Sav-Rx has started notifying about 2.8 million people that their personal information was likely stolen during an IT intrusion that happened more than seven months ago. The biz provides prescription drug management services to more than 10 million US workers and their families, via their employers or unions. It first spotted the network “interruption” on Read more about 2.8M US folks’ personal info swiped in Sav-Rx IT heist – 8 months ago[…]

US Patent and Trademark Office confirms another leak of filers’ address data

The federal government agency responsible for granting patents and trademarks is alerting thousands of filers whose private addresses were exposed following a second data spill in as many years. The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) said in an email to affected trademark applicants this week that their private domicile address — which can include Read more about US Patent and Trademark Office confirms another leak of filers’ address data[…]

Attack against virtually all VPN apps neuters their entire purpose

Researchers have devised an attack against nearly all virtual private network applications that forces them to send and receive some or all traffic outside of the encrypted tunnel designed to protect it from snooping or tampering. TunnelVision, as the researchers have named their attack, largely negates the entire purpose and selling point of VPNs, which Read more about Attack against virtually all VPN apps neuters their entire purpose[…]

Microsoft’s latest Windows security updates might break your VPN

Microsoft says the April security updates for Windows may break your VPN. (Oops!) “Windows devices might face VPN connection failures after installing the April 2024 security update (KB5036893) or the April 2024 non-security preview update,” the company wrote in a status update. It’s working on a fix. Bleeping Computer first reported the issue, which affects Read more about Microsoft’s latest Windows security updates might break your VPN[…]

UK becomes first country to ban default bad passwords on IoT devices

[…] On Monday, the United Kingdom became the first country in the world to ban default guessable usernames and passwords from these IoT devices. Unique passwords installed by default are still permitted. The Product Security and Telecommunications Infrastructure Act 2022 (PSTI) introduces new minimum-security standards for manufacturers, and demands that these companies are open with Read more about UK becomes first country to ban default bad passwords on IoT devices[…]

Apple’s ‘incredibly private’ Safari not so private in Europe, allows

Apple’s grudging accommodation of European antitrust rules by allowing third-party app stores on iPhones has left users of its Safari browser exposed to potential web activity tracking. Developers Talal Haj Bakry and Tommy Mysk looked into the way Apple implemented the installation process for third-party software marketplaces on iOS with Safari, and concluded Cupertino’s approach Read more about Apple’s ‘incredibly private’ Safari not so private in Europe, allows[…]

CSS allows HTML emails to change their content after they have been forwarded

[…] The email your manager received and forwarded to you was something completely innocent, such as a potential customer asking a few questions. All that email was supposed to achieve was being forwarded to you. However, the moment the email appeared in your inbox, it changed. The innocent pretext disappeared and the real phishing email Read more about CSS allows HTML emails to change their content after they have been forwarded[…]

Intel CPUs still vulnerable to Spectre attack

[…] We’re told mitigations put in place at the software and silicon level by the x86 giant to thwart Spectre-style exploitation of its processors’ speculative execution can be bypassed, allowing malware or rogue users on a vulnerable machine to steal sensitive information – such as passwords and keys – out of kernel memory and other Read more about Intel CPUs still vulnerable to Spectre attack[…]

Critical bugs in LG TVs could allow complete device takeover

A handful of bugs in LG smart TVs running WebOS could allow an attacker to bypass authorization and gain root access on the device. Once they have gained root, your TV essentially belongs to the intruder who can use that access to do all sorts of nefarious things including moving laterally through your home network, Read more about Critical bugs in LG TVs could allow complete device takeover[…]

In-app browsers still a privacy, security, and choice issue

[…] Open Web Advocacy (OWA), a group that supports open web standards and fair competition, said in a post on Tuesday that representatives “recently met with both the [EU’s] Digital Markets Act team and the UK’s Market Investigation Reference into Cloud Gaming and Browsers team to discuss how tech giants are subverting users’ choice of Read more about In-app browsers still a privacy, security, and choice issue[…]

GitHub’s new AI-powered tool auto-fixes vulnerabilities in your code

GitHub introduced a new AI-powered feature capable of speeding up vulnerability fixes while coding. This feature is in public beta and automatically enabled on all private repositories for GitHub Advanced Security (GHAS) customers. Known as Code Scanning Autofix and powered by GitHub Copilot and CodeQL, it helps deal with over 90% of alert types in JavaScript, Read more about GitHub’s new AI-powered tool auto-fixes vulnerabilities in your code[…]

Italy’s Piracy Shield Blocks Innocent Web Sites, Makes It Hard For Them To Appeal so ISPs are ignoring the law because it’s stupid

Italy’s newly-installed Piracy Shield system, put in place by the country’s national telecoms regulator, Autorità per le Garanzie nelle Comunicazioni (Authority for Communications Guarantees, AGCOM), is already failing in significant ways. One issue became evident in February, when the VPN provider AirVPN announced that it would no longer accept users resident in Italy because of the “burdensome” requirements Read more about Italy’s Piracy Shield Blocks Innocent Web Sites, Makes It Hard For Them To Appeal so ISPs are ignoring the law because it’s stupid[…]

Commercial Bank of Ethiopia glitch lets customers withdraw millions

Ethiopia’s biggest commercial bank is scrambling to recoup large sums of money withdrawn by customers after a “systems glitch”. The customers discovered early on Saturday that they could take out more cash than they had in their accounts at the Commercial Bank of Ethiopia (CBE). More than $40m (£31m) was withdrawn or transferred to other Read more about Commercial Bank of Ethiopia glitch lets customers withdraw millions[…]

VPN Demand Surges 234.8% After Adult Site Restriction on Texas-Based Users

VPN demand in Texas skyrocketed by 234.8% on March 15, 2024, after state authorities enacted a law requiring adult sites to verify users’ ages before granting them access to the websites’ content. Texas’ age verification law was passed in June 2023 and was set to take effect in September of the same year. However, a Read more about VPN Demand Surges 234.8% After Adult Site Restriction on Texas-Based Users[…]

Under New Management Detects when your extensions have changed owners

Intermittenty checks your installed extensions to see if the developer information listed on the Chrome Web Store or Firefox Addons store has changed. If anything is different, the extension icon will display a red badge, alerting you to the change. Why is this needed? Extension developers are constantly getting offers to buy their extensions. In Read more about Under New Management Detects when your extensions have changed owners[…]

How to Prevent X’s Audio and Video Calls Feature From Revealing Your IP Address – wait it reveals your IP address :O – wait… of course, it’s a Musk thing

[…] X began rolling out the audio and video calling feature, which was previously restricted to paid users, to everyone last week. However, hawk-eyed sleuths quickly noticed that the feature was automatically turned on, meaning that users had to manually go to their settings to turn it off. Only your mutuals or someone you’ve exchanged Read more about How to Prevent X’s Audio and Video Calls Feature From Revealing Your IP Address – wait it reveals your IP address :O – wait… of course, it’s a Musk thing[…]

Hackers exploited Windows 0-day for 6 months after Microsoft knew of it

[…] Even after Microsoft patched the vulnerability last month, the company made no mention that the North Korean threat group Lazarus had been using the vulnerability since at least August to install a stealthy rootkit on vulnerable computers. The vulnerability provided an easy and stealthy means for malware that had already gained administrative system rights Read more about Hackers exploited Windows 0-day for 6 months after Microsoft knew of it[…]

VMware sandbox escape bugs are so critical, patches are released for end-of-life products – also, remove all your USB products now

VMware is urging customers to patch critical vulnerabilities that make it possible for hackers to break out of sandbox and hypervisor protections in all versions, including out-of-support ones, of VMware ESXi, Workstation, Fusion, and Cloud Foundation products. A constellation of four vulnerabilities—two carrying severity ratings of 9.3 out of a possible 10—are serious because they Read more about VMware sandbox escape bugs are so critical, patches are released for end-of-life products – also, remove all your USB products now[…]

Vietnam to collect biometrics – even DNA – for new ID cards. Centralised databases never leak.

The Vietnamese government will begin collecting biometric information from its citizens for identification purposes beginning in July this year. Prime minister Pham Minh Chinh instructed the nation’s Ministry of Public Security to collect the data in the form of iris scans, voice samples and actual DNA, in accordance with amendments to Vietnam’s Law on Citizen Read more about Vietnam to collect biometrics – even DNA – for new ID cards. Centralised databases never leak.[…]

Wyze says camera breach let 13,000 customers briefly see into other people’s homes

Last week, co-founder David Crosby said that “so far” the company had identified 14 people who were able to briefly see into a stranger’s property because they were shown an image from someone else’s Wyze camera. Now we’re being told that number of affected customers has ballooned to 13,000. The revelation came from an email Read more about Wyze says camera breach let 13,000 customers briefly see into other people’s homes[…]