Content by Doug Olenick

Microsoft Analyzes Phishing-as-a-Service Operation

Doug Olenick  •  September 22, 2021

Microsoft Security on Tuesday issued a detailed report on a massive phishing-as-a-service operation named BulletProofLink that offered as a subscription all the tools needed to conduct a campaign. The gang remains operational.

BlackMatter Knocks Marketron Off the Air

Doug Olenick  •  September 22, 2021

Marketron Broadcast Solutions was hit over the weekend by a ransomware attack launched by the BlackMatter gang, and the attack has taken down a number of the marketing firm's products. Marketron is currently in talks with its attacker.

Ransomware Reportedly Hits Iowa Farm Services Cooperative

Scott Ferguson , Doug Olenick  •  September 20, 2021

NEW Cooperative, an Iowa-based farm services cooperative, has reportedly been targeted by the BlackMatter ransomware gang, demanding a $5.9 million payment from the organization, according to security researchers and published reports. The cooperative is working with law enforcement agencies.

Is Grief's Threat to Wipe Decryption Key Believable?

Doug Olenick  •  September 16, 2021

Regarding the recent tactical innovation by the Grief ransomware gang that is threatening to wipe a victim's data and decryption key if the victim engages a ransom negotiator, analysts are calling this a desperate ploy to scare a target into paying the ransom demand.

Microsoft Fully Ditches the Password

Doug Olenick  •  September 15, 2021

Microsoft has officially gone fully passwordless, allowing Windows users to replace their alphanumeric passwords with one of several substitute sign-in technologies to gain entry into a Microsoft product - a move received positively by industry insiders.

Microsoft Patches MSHTML Vulnerability

Doug Olenick  •  September 14, 2021

Microsoft's September Patch Tuesday security update covers 61 vulnerabilities, with four rated critical. These include a fix for the critical MSHTML Vulnerability Microsoft revealed last week and patches to a Windows scripting engine flaw and a Windows DNS flaw.

BitSight, Mastercard and Tenable Make Acquisitions

Doug Olenick  •  September 14, 2021

Merger and acquisition activity picked up in September with BitSight, Tenable and Mastercard, all making deals. Moody's became BitSight's largest shareholder after making a $250 million investment in the company.

Ukrainian Extradited to US Faces Credential Theft Charges

Doug Olenick  •  September 10, 2021

A Ukrainian national was extradited from Poland to the U.S. this week and now faces charges of conspiracy, trafficking in unauthorized access devices and trafficking in computer passwords, according to the Justice Department.

20 Years After 9/11: How US Cybersecurity Landscape Evolved

Doug Olenick  •  September 10, 2021

In the 20 years since the Sept. 11, 2001, al Qaida terrorist attacks on targets in the U.S., the need to shore up critical infrastructure and build resilience into systems remains a priority. But over the past two decades, concerns about physical threats have been displaced by cyber concerns.

20 Years Later: A Cyber 9/11 Is Unlikely

Doug Olenick  •  September 10, 2021

The possibility of a terrorist group launching a massive Sept. 11, 2001-scale cyberattack against the U.S. or an ally has been a concern for years, but cybersecurity pros with a background in intelligence and military affairs say such worries are likely unwarranted.

Atlassian Vulnerability Being Exploited in the Wild

Doug Olenick  •  September 3, 2021

Cyber Command and the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency issued alerts Friday warning those using Atlassian's Confluence and Data Center products that attackers are actively exploiting the critical remote code execution vulnerability CVE-2021-26084.

Fin8 Using an Updated Backdoor

Doug Olenick  •  August 26, 2021

Bitdefender has conducted a forensic analysis of a new backdoor, dubbed Sardonic, used by the threat group Fin8 in recent attacks against two financial organizations.

Cybercriminals Reportedly Created Blockchain Analytics Tool

Doug Olenick  •  August 13, 2021

Cybercriminals have developed a blockchain analytics tool on the darknet that could help a gang launder illegally obtained bitcoin, and they are actively marketing it, according to the cryptocurrency analytics firm Elliptic. The tool, however, is rated as not entirely effective.

NortonLifeLock to Buy Avast for Over $8 Billion

Doug Olenick  •  August 11, 2021

Antivirus and identity protection firm NortonLifeLock confirmed Tuesday that it has entered into an agreement to acquire its rival, Avast, for $8.1 billion to $8.6 billion.

Microsoft Patches 3 Zero-Day Vulnerabilities

Doug Olenick  •  August 11, 2021

Microsoft's Patch Tuesday rollout addressed two additional security issues within Windows Print Spooler, including one zero-day. Microsoft's August security update covers 44 vulnerabilities, with seven rated critical. Intel and Adobe also made security fixes.