The CyberWire Daily

This week, we are joined by Kyla Cardona and Aurora Johnson from SpyCloud discussing their research "China’s Surveillance State Is Selling Citizen Data as a Side Hustle." Chinese technology companies, under CCP mandate, collect vast amounts of data on citizens, creating opportunities for corrupt insiders to steal and resell this information on dark markets. These stolen datasets, aggregated into "Social Work Libraries" (SGKs), mirror lower-tech versions of CCP internal security databases.

Kyla and Aurora discuss how Chinese cybercriminals use these SGKs and their implications compared to Western, European, and Russian cybercrime ecosystems. With expertise in Chinese OSINT and cybersecurity policy, both researchers bring deep insights into the geopolitical and technical dynamics of China's digital landscape.

The research can be found here:

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Please enjoy this encore episode, where we are joined by Senior Security Officer at Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Michael Bishop Jr. as he shares his journey from Army infantryman deployed to Iraq to working in cybersecurity. After 12 years in the U.S. Army, Mike found himself in a rough spot. Looking for work and having some personal challenges, Mike's mentor, an Army officer he met while enlisted, recognized Mike's struggles and helped to nudge him toward cybersecurity. Mike credits his mentor with helping him transition to where he is today. Undergoing training for cybersecurity, he was tested in many areas and found the route he wanted to go. We thank Michael for sharing his story with us.

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New details emerge about Chinese hackers breaching the US Treasury Department. The Supreme Court considers the TikTok ban. Chinese hackers exploit a zero-day flaw in Ivanti Connect Secure VPN. A new credit card skimmer malware targets WordPress checkout pages. The Banshee macOS info-stealer has been updated. A California health services organization reports a data breach. A Florida firm pays a $337,750 HIPAA settlement following a 2018 breach. Samsung patches Android devices. A Proton Mail outage hits users worldwide. A popular e-card site recovers from malware. CertByte segment host Chris Hare interviews our guest Casey Marks, ISC2's Chief Qualifications Officer, about the future of certifications. That’s a feature, not a hack. 

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CertByte segment host Chris Hare interviews our guest Casey Marks, ISC2's Chief Qualifications Officer, about certifications and where they could be heading. You can check out their 2024 ISC2 Cybersecurity Workforce study here. 

Chinese hackers breached US government office that assesses foreign investments for national security risks (CNN)

Supreme Court considers whether to allow TikTok ban to take effect (NBC News) 

Ivanti VPN zero-day exploited by Chinese hackers (SC Media)

New Skimmer Malware Hijacking WordPress Websites to Steal Credit Cards (Cyber Security News)

Banshee macOS Malware Expands Targeting (SecurityWeek)

BayMark Health Services Reports Data Breach, Exposing Patient Information (The Cyber Express)

Florida Firm Fined $337K by Feds for Data Deleted in Hack (BankInfo Security)

Samsung Patches Multiple Vulnerabilities That Let Attackers Execute Arbitrary Code (Cyber Security News)

Proton Mail still down as Proton recovers from worldwide outage (Bleeping Computer)

GroupGreeting e-card site attacked in “zqxq” campaign (Malwarebytes)

Microsoft DRM Hacking Raises Questions on Vulnerability Disclosures (SecurityWeek)

Facebook awards researcher $100,000 for finding bug that granted internal access (RocketNews)

Developers sent into security panic by 'useful feature' (The Register)

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The Biden administration is finalizing an executive order to bolster U.S. cybersecurity. Ivanti releases emergency updates to address a critical zero-day vulnerability. A critical vulnerability is discovered in Kerio Control firewall software. Palo Alto Networks patches multiple vulnerabilities in its retired migration tool. Fake exploits for Microsoft vulnerabilities lure security researchers. A medical billing company data breach affects over 360,000. A cyberattack disrupts the city of Winston-Salem. CrowdStrike identifies a phishing campaign exploiting its recruitment branding. Our guest is Danny Allen, CTO from Snyk, sharing how a balanced approach between AI and human oversight can strengthen cybersecurity. The worst of the worst from CES. 

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Our guest is Danny Allen, CTO from Snyk, sharing how a balanced approach between AI and human oversight can strengthen cybersecurity. Learn more in Snyk’s AI Readiness Report about how some companies are still hesitant to adopt AI, despite its clear benefits in addressing human error and keeping up with fast-evolving technology.

White House Rushes to Finish Cyber Order After China Hacks (Bloomberg)

Zero-Day Patch Alert: Ivanti Connect Secure Under Attack (GovInfo Security)

GFI KerioControl Firewall Vulnerability Exploited in the Wild (SecurityWeek) 

Palo Alto Networks Patches High-Severity Vulnerability in Retired Migration Tool (SecurityWeek) 

Security pros baited by fake Windows LDAP exploits (The Register)

Major US medical billing firm breached, 360K+ customers' healthcare data leaked (Cybernews)

Recruitment Phishing Scam Imitates CrowdStrike Hiring Process (CrowdStrike)

Some Winston-Salem city services knocked offline by cyberattack (The Record)

Excelsior Orthopaedics Data Breach Impacts 357,000 People (SecurityWeek) 

The 'Worst in Show' CES Products Put Your Data at Risk and Cause Waste, Privacy Advocates Say (SecurityWeek)

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Researchers ID a new Mirai-based botnet. Android devices get their first round of updates for the new year. Criminals exploit legitimate Apple and Google services in sophisticated voice phishing attacks. Japan attributes over 200 cyberattacks to the Chinese hacking group MirrorFace. A PayPal phishing scam exploits legitimate platform functionality. SonicWall addresses critical vulnerabilities in its SonicOS software. CISA warns of active exploitation of vulnerabilities in Mitel MiCollab. A new government backed labelling program hopes to help consumers choose more secure devices. On today’s CertByte segment, Chris Hare and Steven Burnley unpack a question from N2K’s ISC2® Certified in Cyber Security (CC) Practice Test. Streaming license plate readers - no password required.

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Welcome to CertByte! On this bi-weekly segment hosted by Chris Hare, a content developer and project management specialist at N2K.

In each segment, Chris is joined by an N2K Content Developer to help illustrate the learning. This week, Chris is joined by Steven Burnley to break down a question targeting the CC - Certified in Cyber Security certification by ISC2®. Today’s question comes from N2K’s ISC2® Certified in Cyber Security (CC) Practice Test.

The CC(SM) - Certified in Cyber Security is an entry-level, ANAB accredited exam geared towards anyone who wants to prove their foundational skills, knowledge, and abilities. To learn more about this and other related topics under this objective, please refer to the following resource: ISC2 (n.d.). https://www.isc2.org/landing/cc-etextbook  

Have a question that you’d like to see covered? Email us at [email protected]. If you're studying for a certification exam, check out N2K’s full exam prep library of certification practice tests, practice labs, and training courses by visiting our website at n2k.com/certify. To get the full news to knowledge experience, learn more about our N2K Pro subscription at https://thecyberwire.com/pro. 

Please note: The questions and answers provided here, and on our site, are not actual current or prior questions and answers from these certification publishers or providers.

Additional source: https://www.isc2.org/certifications/cc 

New Mirai Botnet Exploits Zero-Days in Routers and Smart Devices (Infosecurity Magazine)

First Android Update of 2025 Patches Critical Code Execution Vulnerabilities (SecurityWeek)

A Day in the Life of a Prolific Voice Phishing Crew (Krebs on Security)

Japan links Chinese hacker MirrorFace to dozens of cyberattacks targeting security and tech data (AP News)

Casio says hackers stole personal data of 8,500 people during October ransomware attack (TechCrunch)

New PayPal Phishing Scam Exploits MS365 Tools and Genuine-Looking Emails (Hackread)

Multiple Sonicwall VPN Vulnerabilities Let Attackers Bypass Authentication (Cyber Security News)

CISA Warns of Mitel MiCollab Vulnerabilities Exploited in Attacks (SecurityWeek)

New Labels Will Help People Pick Devices Less at Risk of Hacking (SecurityWeek)

Researcher Turns Insecure License Plate Cameras Into Open Source Surveillance Tool (404 Media)

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You too can reach the most influential leaders and operators in the industry. Here’s our media kit. Contact us at [email protected] to request more info.

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China criticizes U.S. sanctions. School districts face cyberattacks over the holiday season. The U.N.’s International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) is investigating a potential data breach. Eagerbee malware targets government organizations and ISPs in the Middle East. A major New York medical center notifies 674,000 individuals of a data breach. Hackers infiltrate Argentina’s Airport Security Police (PSA) payroll system. An industrial networking firm identifies critical vulnerabilities in its cellular routers, secure routers, and network security appliances. Phishing click rates among enterprise users surged in 2024. A California man is suing three banks for allegedly enabling criminals to steal nearly $1 million from him. On our Threat Vector segment, we preview this week’s episode where host David Moulton speaks with Margaret Kelley about the evolving landscape of cloud breaches. Microsoft’s Bing demonstrates imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. 

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On our Threat Vector segment, we preview this week’s episode where host David Moulton speaks with Margaret Kelley about the evolving landscape of cloud breaches and how organizations can defend against sophisticated attacks. You can catch new episodes of Threat Vector every Thursday here and on your favorite podcast app. 

China Protests US Sanctions for Its Alleged Role in Hacking, Complains of Foreign Hacker Attacks (SecurityWeek)

Tencent added to US list of 'Chinese military companies' (The Register)

School districts in Maine, Tennessee respond to holiday cyberattacks (The Record) 

UN aviation agency 'actively investigating' cybercriminal’s claimed data breach (The Record) 

Eagerbee backdoor deployed against Middle Eastern govt orgs, ISPs (Bleeping Computer)

Staten Island Hospital Notifying 674,000 of May 2023 Hack (BankInfo Security)

Industrial networking manufacturer Moxa reports 'critical' router bugs (CyberScoop)

Phishing Click Rates Triple in 2024 (Infosecurity Magazine)

Pig butchering victim sues banks for allowing scammers to open accounts (The Record) 

Hackers Compromised Argentina’s Airport Security Payroll System (GB Hackers)

Microsoft is using Bing to trick people into thinking they’re on Google (The Verge) 

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New reports shed light on both Volt and Salt Typhoons. Tenable updates faulty Nessus Agents and resumes plugin updates. A new infostealer campaign targets gamers on Discord. A fake version of a popular browser extension has been discovered stealing login credentials and conducting phishing attacks. ESET warns Windows 10 users of a potential “security fiasco.” A vulnerability in Nuclei allows attackers to bypass template signature verification and inject malicious code. An Indiana dental practice pays a $350,000 settlement over an alleged ransomware coverup. Tim Starks, Senior Reporter from CyberScoop, joins us today to discuss a new United Nations cybercrime treaty and his outlook for 2025. Farewell to a visionary leader. 

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Tim Starks, Senior Reporter from CyberScoop, joins us today to discuss a new United Nations cybercrime treaty and his outlook for 2025. Read Tim’s article on the UN cybercrime treaty here. 

The US’s Worst Fears of Chinese Hacking Are on Display in Guam (Bloomberg)

How Chinese Hackers Graduated From Clumsy Corporate Thieves to Military Weapons (Wall Street Journal)

China protests US sanctions for its alleged role in hacking, complains of foreign hacker attacks (AP News)

Tenable Disables Nessus Agents Over Faulty Updates (SecurityWeek)

New Infostealer Campaign Uses Discord Videogame Lure (Infosecurity Magazine)

Beware! Malicious EditThisCookie Chrome Extension Steals Login Credentials (Cyber Security News)

Windows 10 users urged to upgrade to avoid "security fiasco" (Bleeping Computer)

Nuclei flaw lets malicious templates bypass signature verification (Bleeping Computer)

Dental Practice Pays State in Alleged Data Breach 'Cover Up' (GovInfo Security)

Tenable CEO Amit Yoran Dead at 54 (SecurityWeek)

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Technical account manager Dominique West takes us on her career journey from engineering to cybersecurity. Even though her undergraduate degree was in information systems, Dominique did not learn about cybersecurity until she personally experienced credit card fraud. She had a range of positions from working the help desk in an art museum to vulnerability management and cloud security. Dominique mentions remembering feeling isolated as the only black person and one of few women in many situations. These experiences spurred her into action to create Security in Color to help others navigate their way into cybersecurity and share resources are available to them. Dominique recommends those interested in cybersecurity to go ahead and get your hands dirty out there; figure out what you like and what you don't like and do community. We thank Dominique for sharing her story with us.

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Karlo Zanki, Reverse Engineer at ReversingLabs, discussing their work on "Malicious PyPI crypto pay package aiocpa implants infostealer code." ReversingLabs' machine learning-based threat hunting system identified a malicious PyPI package, aiocpa, designed to exfiltrate cryptocurrency wallet information.

Unlike typical attacks involving typosquatting, the attackers published a seemingly legitimate crypto client tool to build trust before introducing malicious updates. ReversingLabs used its Spectra Assure platform to detect behavioral anomalies and worked with PyPI to remove the package, highlighting the growing need for advanced supply chain security tools to counter increasingly sophisticated threats.

The research can be found here:

• Malicious PyPI crypto pay package aiocpa implants infostealer code

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The U.S. sanctions Russian and Iranian groups over election misinformation. Apple settles a class action lawsuit over Siri privacy allegations. DoubleClickjacking exploits a timing vulnerability in browser behavior. FireScam targets sensitive info on Android devices. ASUS issues a critical security advisory for several router models. A former crypto boss faces extradition amidst allegations of defrauding investors out of more than $40 billion. HHS unveils proposed updates to HIPAA. Millions of email servers have yet to enable encryption. Our guest is Joe Saunders, Co-Founder & CEO of RunSafe Security discussing the complexities of safeguarding critical infrastructure. Using Doom to prove you’re human. 

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Our guest is Joe Saunders, Co-Founder & CEO of RunSafe Security. Joe joins us to discuss the complexities of safeguarding critical infrastructure amid the looming threat of cyber attacks and military conflict.

US Imposes Sanctions on Russian and Iranian Groups Over Disinformation Targeting American Voters (SecurityWeek)

Apple Agrees $95M Settlement Over Siri Privacy Violations (Infosecurity Magazine)

SysBumps - New Kernel Break Attack Bypassing macOS Systems Security (Cyber Security News)

'DoubleClickjacking' Threatens Major Websites’ Security (GovInfo Security)

FireScam Android Malware Packs Infostealer, Spyware Capabilities (SecurityWeek)

ASUS Routers Vulnerabilities Allows Arbitrary Code Execution (Cyber Security News)

Crypto Boss Extradited to Face $40bn Fraud Charges (Infosecurity Magazine)

What's in HHS' Proposed HIPAA Security Rule Overhaul? (GovInfo Security)

Over 3 million mail servers without encryption exposed to sniffing attacks (Bleeping Computer)

CAPTCHAs now run Doom – on nightmare mode (The Register)

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