In this week's Security Sprint, Dave and Andy covered the following topics:

Main Topics:

FBI PSA: North Korean IT Workers Conducting Data Extortion. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is providing an update to previously shared guidance regarding Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea) Information Technology (IT) workers to raise public awareness of their increasingly malicious activity, which has recently included data extortion.

China’s Cyber Threat: Under Trump, US Cyberdefense Loses Its Head; Chinese hacks, rampant ransomware, and Donald Trump’s budget cuts all threaten US security. In an exit interview with WIRED, former CISA head Jen Easterly argues for her agency’s survival.

“Everybody should assume that our adversaries, in particular China, are attempting to go after our critical infrastructure. The private sector, they are on the front lines of this fight, because they own and operate the vast majority of our critical infrastructure. It's why companies need to put collaboration over self-preservation.”

“Time For Us To Get A Step Ahead Of The Typhoons”: Chairman Green Opens Hearing On Global Cyber Threats

“Preparation Of The Battlefield”: Cybersecurity Experts Testify On Global Threats To The Homeland

WaterISAC: House Committee Hearing – Unconstrained Actors: Assessing

Quick Hits:

Insider Threats:

Orlando Man Pleads Guilty To Conducting Series Of Cyber Intrusions Against Former Employer

British Museum forced to partly close after alleged IT attack by

CISA and FBI Release Updated Guidance on Product Security Bad Practices

Virus season roars back with "quad-demic" of illness

Scammers Are Creating Fake News Videos to Blackmail Victims

TikTok Threat Arrest: "[Trump] needs to be assassinated"

USCP Arrests Man with Gun. Article: Capitol Police: Officer suspended for allowing man with concealed gun

CISA and FBI Release Advisory on How Threat Actors Chained

Ransomware gang uses SSH tunnels for stealthy VMware ESXi access

Cobalt Strike and a Pair of SOCKS Lead to LockBit Ransomware

Ransomware’s Evolution: Key Threat Groups Targeting the Energy and

Ongoing Campaign Targeting Amazon Web Services S3 Buckets

In this week's Security Sprint, Dave and Andy covered the following topics:

Main Topics:

Executive Orders:

Scams:

Quick Hits:

On the latest episode of Nerd Out, Alec Davison and Dave discussed recent terrorist activity and outlook for the future before looking at some of the propoganda that has been published to influence followers. They also looked at world events and the recent cease fire to assess what that may mean going forward before looking at all-hazards preparedness. Finally they wrapped up with some discussion about Skeleton Crew, and some future shows. Plus Alec makes a plea for Severance.

Some references:

Terrorism Threat Landscape

Terrorgram Designation

Israel-Hamas Hostage Deal & Ceasefire

LA Wildfires

In the latest Security Sprint, Dave and Andy covered the following topics:

Warm Open:

• Errol Weiss on LinkedIn: Cyber Threats Know No Borders

• Perspective: Cybersecurity Priorities for the New Administration, by Scott Algeier, Executive Director, IT-ISAC.

Main Topics:

Los Angeles Fires:

FEMA: Ready.gov

Attorney General James Reminds New Yorkers to be Cautious in Charitable Giving for Los Angeles Wildfire Relief

HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra Declares Public Health Emergency for California to Aid Health Care Response to Wildfires

Vegas and New Orleans Follow Ups

Las Vegas Cybertruck suspect used ChatGPT to plan blast, police say

Las Vegas police release ChatGPT logs from the suspect in the Cybertruck explosion

ChatGPT advised infamous neo-Nazi on how to attack U.S. electrical grid

FBI IC3 Alert Number: I-011325-PSA: Threat of Copycat Attacks after ISIS-Inspired Vehicle Attack in New Orleans

FBI warns of potential ‘copycat or retaliatory’ New Orleans attacks

How New Orleans failed to protect Bourbon Street from attack, block by block

Ransomware:

Comparitech - Ransomware roundup: 2024 end-of-year report

Ransomware attacks on education declined in 2024, report shows

Emsisoft: The State of Ransomware in the U.S.: Report and Statistics 2024

Health:

CDC - First H5 Bird Flu Death Reported in United States. CDC has carefully studied the available information about the person who died in Louisiana and continues to assess that the risk to the general public remains low.

CDC’s Priorities for Response Readiness

Director Wray

60 Minutes: FBI Director Wray on threats America faces, decision to step down as Trump returns to the White House

Outgoing FBI director calls China and its cyber program the 'defining threat of our generation'

FBI director explains why he’s resigning, defends feds’ raid of Trump’s Mar-a-Lago

Inauguration Workplace Considerations

Quick Hits:

• 2024 was the world’s warmest year on record

• White House Launches “U.S. Cyber Trust Mark”, Providing American Consumers an Easy Label to See if Connected Devices are Cybersecure

• CISA Releases the Cybersecurity Performance Goals Adoption Report

• FACT SHEET: Ensuring U.S. Security and Economic Strength in the Age of Artificial Intelligence

• Prime Minister sets out blueprint to turbocharge AI

• UK throws its hat into the AI fire

In the latest episode of the Security Sprint, Dave and Andy covered the following topics:

Special Agent in Charge Joshua Jackson, ATF, Delivers Investigative Updates on the New Orleans Bourbon Street Attack

FBI: 2 IEDs failed to detonate in New Orleans New Year's Day ramming attack

FBI says New Orleans attacker surveyed area using Meta smart glasses

Cybertruck driver left behind rant praising Trump and Musk, slamming Democrats

‘TIME TO WAKE UP’: Las Vegas police share notes from Cybertruck explosion suspect

Matthew Livelsberger Alleged Manifesto: Read Full Email Sent to Retired Soldier

Vegas Cybertruck Bomber Who Called for ‘Purge’ of Dems Deemed Not a ‘Risk’ to Public After He Sought VA Mental Health Help

Additional Resources:

In the latest episode of Nerd Out, Dave brings back Andy Jabbour and Jennifer Lyn Walker to remember the early days of the pod, and talk about some 2024 predictions to see if they hit the mark, were a near miss or were out of left-field. Then they talked about some things organizations should remember heading into 2025 before getting into some holiday cheer. They talked about their favorite holiday drinks, traditions, and movies or television shows before extending their best security wishes for 2025.

Andy Jabbour is the Managing Director, Gate 15 and host of the Gate 15 Interview podcast and co-host of the Security Security Sprint podcast.

Jennifer Lyn Walker is a cybersecurity professional with 24+ years of experience supporting critical infrastructure and SLTT (state, local, tribal, and territorial) governments. Jennifer has provided subject matter expertise regarding cyber threats related to homeland security for multiple critical infrastructure and vital lifeline sectors utilizing her experience in malware analysis, threat assessments, threat intelligence, HIPAA compliance, cybersecurity awareness, insider threat protection, and industrial control systems cybersecurity and safety.

Link for UnDisruptable27: https://securityandtechnology.org/undisruptable27/

In this episode of The Gate 15 Interview, Andy Jabbour speaks with Jeri Rogish and Mitchell Freddura, both with the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and CISA’s Joint Cyber Defense Collaborative (JCDC). Jeri serves as Deputy Chief of JCDC’s Product Development Section and Mitch serves in the Partnerships Office.

Discussed in the podcast:

Selected links:

Additional resources:

In the latest episode of the Security Sprint, Dave and Andy covered the following topics:

Warm Start: H2OEx - An Exercise for the Water Sector

Main Topics:

UHC Assassination:

·      Health insurers step up security, scrub websites of leadership information

·      Luigi Mangione, suspect in fatal shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, used ghost gun that may have been 3D-printed

·      Suspect in killing of health care CEO faces 5 charges including forgery and firearm without a license

·      Health care CEO shooting suspect was Ivy League graduate who appears to have written about Unabomber online

·      Suspect in fatal shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson ID’d as Luigi Mangione, an ex-Ivy League student

·      Luigi Mangione’s sprawling family found success after patriarch’s rise

·      Health insurers step up security, scrub websites of leadership information

·      UnitedHealth CEO says insurer will continue to prevent ‘unnecessary care’ in leaked video as sick trolls warn, ‘Dude’s next’

·      What Companies Should Be Asking Their Security Teams Right Now

·      A timeline of the fatal shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson and search for his killer

·      UnitedHealth CEO's killing unleashes social media rage against insurers

·      UnitedHealthcare CEO kept a low public profile. Then he was shot to death in New York

·      Bullets fired at healthcare CEO in fatal shooting had words

·      Message on bullets fired by healthcare CEO’s assassin bear eerie link to book condemning insurance companies

·      Copycat, Contagion, and the Robin Hood Effect as Risk Enhancers in Targeted Violence

Faith-Based Threats

·      Terror attack on Bavarian Christmas market foiled by police

·      Man in van filled with explosives, guns intended to attack a North Texas church, report states

·      FeatherRiver School of Seventh-Day Adventists Shooting:

o  2 kindergarteners wounded and gunman

·      Five-Eyes security and law enforcement agencies release joint authored analysis of youth radicalization & PDF analysis.

Six password takeaways from the updated NIST cybersecurity framework. Password security is changing — and updated guidelines from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) reject outdated practices in favor of more effective protections. 

Quick Hits:

·      FBI IC3 PSA: Criminals Use Generative Artificial Intelligence to Facilitate Financial Fraud

·      Russian Woman Arrested In U.S. For Alleged Ties To Russian Intelligence

·      NGA: 2024 State Experts Roundtable On Protecting Energy Infrastructure From Physical Attacks

·      Manager of Chatham County Company Charged with Skimming Hundreds of Thousands of Dollars From Employer with Fake Invoices

·      The California tsunami danger is real. The 7.0 earthquake is wake-up call to prepare.

o  'Swaying back and forth': Magnitude 7 earthquake, aftershocks rock California

o  Tsunami warning canceled after strong California earthquake

Salt Typhoon:

o  White House says at least 8 US telecom

o  FCC chair proposes cybersecurity rules

o  What is mystery 'disease x' and why have dozens died in DR Congo?

o  Unknown disease kills 143 in southwest Congo, local authorities say

o  FINAL REPORT: COVID Select Concludes 2-Year Investigation, Issues 500+ Page Final Report on Lessons Learned and the Path Forward

·      Korea arrests CEO for adding DDoS

·      Outraged? You’re more likely to share

·      Romania hit by major election influence campaign and

·      EU orders TikTok to freeze Romanian

·      Choosing secure and verifiable

·      CISA Releases New Public Version of CDM

In this week's Security Sprint, Dave and Andy covered the following topics:

Seasonal Scams!

CISA: Shop Safely This Holiday Season

FTC: Scammers are delivering phishing messages this holiday season

ClouDSEK: Cyber Monday Scams: A Comprehensive Analysis of Threats and Mitigation Strategies

Ransomware & Resilience!

UK NCSC: Cyber Security Toolkit for Boards: updated briefing pack released. New presentation includes voiceover and insights on ransomware attack on the British Library.

Cannabis industry is apparent target of Everest Ransomware, security experts warn

Cannabis-ISAO

eCrime

The costs of ransomware: Cyber attack prompts Stoli Group USA bankruptcy filing

Risky Biz News - Hoboken ransomware attack

Starbucks, Grocers Revert to Manual Processes After Ransomware Attack on Third-Party Software System

Risky Biz News - Bologna FC ransomware attack

The Evolution of BlackBasta Malware Dissemination

Ransomware-driven data exfiltration: techniques and implications

The ransomware attack that started it all. A North Korean hacker group’s attack on Sony Pictures in 2014 was

Ransomware Roundup - Interlock

Key Considerations for Legal Compliance in Ransomware Recovery

FBI-Wanted Hacker Behind Global Ransomware Attacks Arrested in Russia

Threats to Public Officials and associated risks

Trump administration picks targeted with bomb threats and swatting

FBI Statement Regarding Threats to Nominees and Appointees

Most of Connecticut's delegation in Congress targeted by bomb threats

Jeffries office: Bomb threats made against Dem lawmakers

Arizona Man Sentenced for Making Online Threats Against Public Servants Including Federal Officials

Quick Hits

Live Virtual Presentations on Targeted Violence Prevention. The U.S. Secret Service National Threat Assessment Center (NTAC) is pleased to offer new opportunities to attend live virtual presentations on preventing targeted violence. In these presentations, our

HSI Investigation Leads to Seizure of $3.5 Million Dollars Stolen in Business Email Compromise Scam

CISA: AI Red Teaming: Applying Software TEVV for AI Evaluations

Biden tightens tech controls on China as clock ticks down

Russian ‘spy ring plotted high-level espionage, including honey traps.’

In this episode of The Gate 15 Interview, Andy Jabbour speaks with Angela Haun. Angela is the Executive Director with the Oil and Natural Energy Information Sharing and Analysis Center (ONE-ISAC). Appointed as ONE-ISAC Executive Director in September 2018, Angela is a retired FBI Special Agent with extensive experience in cybersecurity and protecting critical assets. Since joining the ONE-ISAC, she has expanded the ONE-ISAC’s membership with a Strategic Partnership Pilot Program, bringing new organizations, expertise, resources and funding to support the ISAC’s efforts. In addition, Angela has been a subject matter expert speaker, organizer and participant in numerous energy-related conferences, briefings, exercises, meetings, webinars and other events. Ms. Haun is actively pursuing upgraded technologies and additional benefits for ONE-ISAC member analysts and executives. Prior to her work in support of ONE-ISAC, Angela served over twenty years at the FBI. Learn more about Angela on LinkedIn.

“Potential gets me so excited!”

In the discussion Angela and Andy discuss:

Selected links: