The Gate 15 Podcast Channel

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

ISAC Exciting Announcements!

Tribal-ISAC joins National Council of ISACS for cyber security, information sharing

Japanese Auto-ISAC and Auto-ISAC Formalize Agreement to Enhance Vehicle Cybersecurity

Severe Weather Awareness

Iowa Caucus Impacts

Texas "Freeze"

Buffalo Bills great stadium dig-out

 

Main Topics

 

School Data Base Leak. https://www.wired.com/story/us-school-shooter-emergency-plans-leak/

SEC X Compromise.

SEC account hack renews spotlight on X's security concerns

US SEC says breach of its X account did not lead to breach of broader SEC systems

A Hacker's Perspective: Social Media Account Takeover Prevention Guide

 

Scams. https://news.trendmicro.com/2024/01/12/fake-apple-and-capital-one-notifications-top-scams-of-the-week/

 

Physical Threats.

Malicious Actors Threaten U.S. Synagogues, Schools, Hospitals, and Other Institutions With Bomb Threats, 12 Jan. “Since 8 December 2023, the FBI has opened investigations on more than 100 separate threats targeting more than 1,000 institutions in 42 states and the District of Columbia."

New FB-ISAO Newsletter! FB-ISAO Newsletter, v6, Issue 1.

US, UK launch retaliatory strikes against Houthis in Yemen

Protests erupt outside Yemen Mission in NYC to condemn US attacks on Houthi rebels — some protesters attacking couple holding Israeli flag: ‘Long live Hamas, you piece of s–t!’

Joint Statement from the Governments of Australia, Bahrain, Canada, Denmark, Germany, Netherlands, New Zealand, Republic of Korea, United Kingdom, and the United States

Statement from President Joe Biden on Coalition Strikes in Houthi-Controlled Areas in Yemen

Statement by Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III on Coalition Strikes in Houthi-Controlled Areas of Yemen

Background Press Call by Senior Administration Officials and Senior Military Official on Developments in the Middle East

Houthi rebels say US will pay a ‘heavy price’ for strikes that killed 5, injured

Lulzsec Hacktivists Leak American Bank Logins in Protest Against Yemen Airstrikes

Moscow Blasts U.S.-British Strikes in Yemen

Who Are the Houthis and Why Did the US and UK Launch Strikes on Them?

 

Quick Hits

FBI arrests Florida man accused of threatening ‘mass casualty event’

American intel officials warn of risk of Hezbollah attacking U.S. 

Ivanti Vulnerabilities. Ivanti Blog Post: Active Exploitation of Two Zero-Day Vulnerabilities in Ivanti Connect Secure VPN

CISA Adds Two Known Exploited Vulnerabilities to Catalog

CERT-NZ: Vulnerabilities in Ivanti Connect gateways actively exploited

Canadian Centre for Cyber Security Ivanti security advisory (AV24-020)

Ivanti warns of Connect Secure zero-days exploited in attacks

Ivanti customers urged to patch vulnerabilities allegedly exploited by Chinese state hackers

Cutting Edge: Suspected APT Targets Ivanti Connect Secure VPN in New Zero-Day Exploitation. 

Canadian Centre for Cyber Security Ivanti Connect Secure and Ivanti Policy Secure gateways zero-day vulnerabilities

Risky Biz News: Chinese APT exploits two Pulse Secure zero-days

Ivanti Zero-Day Vulnerabilities (CVE-2023-46805 and CVE-2024-21887)

State-backed hackers are exploiting new Ivanti VPN zero-days — but no patches yet

Zero-Day Exploitation of Ivanti Connect Secure and Policy Secure Gateways

Hundreds of Thousands of Dollars Worth of Solana Cryptocurrency Assets Stolen in Recent CLINKSINK Drainer Campaigns

The vulnerability forecast for 2024

WEF: Global Cybersecurity Outlook 2024

Joint Report on the Implementation of the Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act of 2015

In this Week's Security Sprint, Dave and Andy talked about the following topics:

New! Venue Security, The IAVM Podcast Series: Mark Herrera on leadership, resilience and partnership. In this inaugural episode of Venue Security, The IAVM Podcast Series, Andy Jabbour talks with Mark Herrera, Director of Education for the International Association of Venue Managers (IAVM).

 

Physical Security Incidents and Challenges

Motive sought for mass shooting at Prague university that left more than a dozen dead

1 killed, 5 injured by Iowa school shooter on the first day after winter break

FBI calls bomb threats that led to brief lockdowns and evacuations of some state capitols a hoax

Bomb Hoaxes and ‘Swatting’ Attempts Target Public Officials as 2024 Begins

CA synagogues on high alert after receiving threatening emails

Suspects held over alleged Argentina parcel plot

Blasts kill nearly 100 at slain commander Soleimani's memorial; Iran vows revenge

Islamic State claims responsibility for deadly Iran attack, Tehran vows revenge

CAIR: Join the Jan. 13th ‘March on Washington for Gaza’ in Washington, D.C.

Groups plan massive march for Gaza cease-fire in DC next week. The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) and other organizers will begin the Gaza solidarity event at the National Mall on Jan. 13 at 1 p.m., gathering near the Washington Monument.

CISA: Personal Security Considerations Action Guide. This action guide provides actionable recommendations and resources intended to prevent and mitigate threats to a critical infrastructure worker’s personal safety.

 

Election Season Challenges

FBI Washington Field Office Marks Third Anniversary of January 6 Violence at the U.S. Capitol

A quarter of Americans believe FBI instigated Jan. 6, Post-UMD poll finds

Pence dismisses conspiracy theory FBI instigated Jan. 6 attack

 

Quick Hits: Enduring Threats!

Multiple Hazard Storm Impacting the Central and Southern U.S.

Exceptional winter storm to bring travel woes as it wallops central and eastern US

President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. Approves Rhode Island Disaster Declaration

NOAA: Get your snow smarts on: 9 forecast tools you can use; Find out if rain, snow, sleet and hail are coming your way

Ransomware.

TribalHub: Ransomware Resilience Best Practices.

British Library ransomware cyber attack ‘set to cost £7million’

The State of Ransomware in the U.S.: Report and Statistics 2023

Xerox says subsidiary XBS U.S. breached after ransomware gang leaks data

After injecting cancer hospital with ransomware, crims threaten to swat patients

LockBit leveraging vulnerable drivers to disable security solutions in latest campaigns

Motor Mouth: Ransomware is coming for the auto industry

PS99, hopes for free diamonds leads to ransomware

The Week in Ransomware - January 5th 2024 - Secret decryptors

Law firm that handles data breaches was hit by data breach

San Bernardino housing authority cyberattack affected nearly 19,000 people

At Least 141 Were Hospitals Directly Affected by Ransomware Attacks in 2023

Electronic Ransomware

Zeppelin ransomware source code sold for $500 on hacking forum

Uncovering Rhysida and their activities

Ransomware Roundup - 8base

Albabat Ransomware

Another covid wave hits U.S. as JN.1 becomes dominant variant.

COVID Mask Mandates Return to Hospitals in Five States

FBI PSA: Chinese Police Imposters Incorporate Aggressive Tactics to Target U.S.-Based Chinese Community.

Ukraine says Russia hacked web cameras to spy on targets in Kyiv

Mark’s background.

We introduce this new podcast series.

Leadership & Team Engagement.

Building Resilience.

Building Partnerships.

What’s on Mark’s mind.

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

Happy Holidays and Happy New Cyber Incident Reporting Requirements! 

New SEC cyber rules are about to go into effect. Expect some bumps

Justice Department Issues Guidelines in Response to National Security and Public Safety Exemption in SEC Rule

FCC Approves Major Updates to Data Breach Notification Rules

CISOs Gear Up For Compliance with SEC Cyber Regulation

 

Main Topics:

 

AI threats and terrorism. https://gnet-research.org/2023/12/15/artificial-intelligence-as-a-terrorism-enabler-understanding-the-potential-impact-of-chatbots-and-image-generators-on-online-terrorist-activities/

 

Seasonal Security Reminders

Denmark, Germany, Netherlands arrest 7 terror suspects, including alleged Hamas members, authorities say.

FBI PSA: Threat of Violence Likely Heightened Throughout Winter.

‘Exponential increase’ in antisemitic swatting threats in US this weekend

DHS Center for Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships Invitation: Non-Profit Security Grant Program FY2024 Winter Webinar Series + Other DHS Resources

13-year-old accused of plotting mass shooting at Canton Jewish synagogue

Juvenile Arrested for Conducting Swatting Attacks Targeting Synagogues and Other Institutions

UK NPSA: Social Media Auditors. 

 

Embezzlement. Cardinal found guilty of embezzlement in Vatican ‘trial of the century’

 

Ransomware & Cyber Threat Updates

Another Record-Breaking Month for Ransomware: November Up 110% YoY

eCrime

Cybersecurity Advisory: Karakurt Data Extortion Group

GRIT Ransomware Report: November 2023

Malwarebytes: Ransomware review: December 2023

3 Ways Threat Actors Will Kick Off the New Year, According to Corvus Intel

Vulnerabilities Now Top Initial Access Route For Ransomware

Spider-Man And Wolverine Devs Hit By Alleged Ransomware Attack [Update]

French Authorities Arrested a Russian National For His Role In The Hive Ransomware Operation

Hackers Popped a Porn Site for Inflation Fetishists

 

Quick Hits

Earth had its warmest November on record; 2023 still on track to be the globe’s warmest year recorded

Former Special Agent in Charge of the New York FBI Counterintelligence Division Sentenced to 50 Months for Conspiring to Violate U.S. Sanctions on Russia.

Recorded Future: Aggressive Malign Influence Threatens to Shape US 2024 Elections

China’s cyber army is invading critical U.S. services

Multistakeholder cooperation to protect water sector from growing threats

See Something Say Something Campaign: Everyone Plays a Role in “If You See Something, Say Something®.”

The Case for Memory Safe Roadmaps

CISA and Partners Release Advisory on Russian SVR-affiliated Cyber Actors Exploiting CVE-2023-42793

Operation Blacksmith: Lazarus targets organizations worldwide using novel Telegram-based malware written in DLang

CISA Releases Social Media Threat Guidance for School Staff and Authorities Infographic

Intelligence Sharing is Caring: Collective Defense for a Safer Nation

NSA Releases Recommendations to Mitigate Software Supply Chain Risks

Statement by Marc Rogers on the CTI League

Tom on LinkedIn. 

Tom’s background from the Marine Corps to technology, entrepreneurship, to Cyware.

Information Sharing successes and challenges, ISACs, ISAOs and Cyware helping to secure organizations across the Fortune 1000 and more.

Challenges to effective info sharing.

A shoutout to the good work being done at Aviation ISAC.

Cyware, continuous innovation and automated collective defense.

Long weekends and holiday threats.

We play Three Questions and talk microwave food, the Marines, classic rock, classic movies and more!

Cyware

Intelligence Sharing is Caring: Collective Defense for a Safer Nation, an article in HS Today by Cyware CEO Anuj Gul, 13 Dec 2023

Cyware Intel Exchange (CTIX)

Cyware Collaborate (CSAP)

Cyware Solutions for ISACs, ISAOs, and CERTs

The Gate 15 Interview: Jeff Troy, President, Aviation ISAC, on public service, cybersecurity, understanding threats (and… colonizing the ocean?)

In the latest episode of Nerd Out Dave welcomes back his old Risk Roundtable partners as Jennifer Lyn Walker makes time way from her media tour to join Andy Jabbour on a special year-end review. Dave takes the gang through some of the security predictions for 2023 and determine if they hit the mark, were slightly off target, or missed the target. Then they looked at the top security news of the year ranging from ransomware to casino breaches and geopolitical events.

The following topics were discussed during this week's Security Sprint.

US critical infrastructure sector faces cyber threats surge in 2023, calls for urgent action, enhanced measureswith input from Denise Anderson, President and CEO of the Health Information Sharing and Analysis Center (Health-ISAC), and Gate 15’s own Jennifer Lyn Walker, in her capacity as Director of Infrastructure Cyber Defense for WaterISAC

UNLV Shooting. https://www.cnn.com/us/live-news/unlv-shooting-12-06-23/index.html

 

DHS Releases Physical Security Performance Goals for Faith-Based Communities. Building on longstanding efforts and redoubling work to support faith-based communities in response to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), through Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), released new resources to help houses of worship and other faith-based organizations enhance their security. These Physical Security Performance Goals – modeled after the successful Cybersecurity Performance Goals – are a collection of cost-effective actions specifically tailored for faith-based organizations that can be implemented to reduce risk without sacrificing accessibility.

 

Severe Weather.

Winter weather. https://www.newsweek.com/winter-storms-warnings-states-snow-wind-1851154

Tornados. https://www.tennessean.com/story/news/local/2023/12/09/tennessee-tornadoes-clarksville-springfield-nashville-madison-hendersonville-fatalities-severe-storm/71866438007/

 

Scams.

FBI Warning. https://www.fbi.gov/contact-us/field-offices/norfolk/news/fbi-warning-tis-the-season-for-holiday-scams

FTC Warning.https://consumer.ftc.gov/consumer-alerts/2023/11/stay-scam-free-no-matter-how-far-away-you-roam

Cybersecurity Publications.

The Record at Recorded Future: FBI explains how companies can delay SEC cyber incident disclosures

CrowdStrike: How Malicious Insiders Use Known Vulnerabilities Against Their Organizations

Trend Micro’s 2023 Review: Reflecting on Cybersecurity Trends

 

Quick Hits

Texas Bomb Threats. https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/statewide-bomb-threat-hoax-hits-texas-schools/ar-AA1ldyG2

ORC. https://homeland.house.gov/hearing/from-festive-cheer-to-retail-fear-addressing-organized-retail-crime/

FEMA Advisory: FEMA’s National Preparedness Report Highlights Cyber Security, Building Codes and Individual Preparedness for a Resilient Nation

Google’s Year in Search

CISA: Cybersecurity Performance Goals: Assessing How CPGs Help Organizations Reduce Cyber Risk

CISA and International Partners Release Advisory on Russia-based Threat Actor Group, Star Blizzard

Two Russian Nationals Working with Russia’s Federal Security Service Charged with Global Computer Intrusion Campaign

Apple Report: 2.6 billion personal records compromised by data breaches in past two years — underscoring need for end‑to‑end encryption

Forescout Vedere Labs discloses 21 new vulnerabilities affecting OT/IoT routers

Sellafield nuclear site hacked by groups linked to Russia and China

Ministers pressed by Labour over cyber-attack at Sellafield by foreign group

Britain dismisses report claiming Sellafield nuclear site hacking, says no malware exists on our system

Burglaries at over 40 Denver-area marijuana dispensaries lead to charges for members of two organized crime groups

Police Log: Man Arrested for Armed Robbery at Dispensary, Employee Busted for Stealing Packages

Suspect charged in break-in at Ferndale cannabis store

'Horrifying': Store clerk kicked unconscious in string of violent cannabis robberies

Why was the Ontario Cannabis Store sitting on a CA$500 million cash stockpile?

TribalHub's Fall 2023 Magazine is Here!

ZeroFox Unspoken Security Podcast: Build Diverse Teams...or Die! In this episode of Unspoken Security, AJ Nash and Errol Weiss - Chief Security Officer for the Health Information Sharing and Analysis Center (Health-ISAC) - talk about the importance of building diverse intelligence teams.  They share their insights on the evolution of program and team building over the last decade (or more) and focus on how the exponential growth of hybrid and remote work as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic has changed our world. 

Former U.S. Marine Pleads Guilty to Firebombing a Planned Parenthood Clinic. https://www.justice.gov/usao-cdca/pr/former-us-marine-pleads-guilty-firebombing-planned-parenthood-clinic-orange-county-and

19-Year-Old Charged with 13 Counts of Interstate Threats. https://www.justice.gov/usao-pr/pr/19-year-old-victoria-gabriela-rodriguez-morales-charged-13-counts-interstate-threats

On the Release of the 2022 Country Reports on Terrorism

US Department of State: Country Reports on Terrorism 2022

German Police Arrest Islamist Teens Planning Attack on Christmas Market, Synagogue

‘Goal is at least 20 people’: Teen arrested for allegedly threatening to shoot up church in comments on YouTube videos about Pulse nightclub massacre

Dozens of Troops Suspected of Advocating Overthrow of US Government, New Pentagon Extremism Report Says

'Can't wait for the innocent to die': Man arrested for terrifying bomb threats via 911 texts

Record Breaking Losses. https://www.wsj.com/articles/a-punishing-year-of-thunderstorms-has-led-to-record-breaking-losses-102bfb0d?mod=hp_minor_pos10

2023 Atlantic hurricane season ranks 4th for most-named storms in a year

Suspected terror attack in France; One dead, two injured, after attacker yells 'Allahu akbar' and attacks passersby near Eiffel Tower

Knifeman kills German tourist, wounds others near France's Eiffel Tower

Paris knife attacker 'swore allegiance to IS' terrorist group, suffered from mental issues

Paris attack: Mother of suspect had 'reported concerns', prosecutor says

Paris attack: How the terrorist's confusing profile fooled those monitoring him

Paris attack: What we know about Armand Rajabpour-Miyandoab, who killed one and injured others near the Eiffel Tower

Las Vegas police, FBI foil reported terror plot involving Islamic State

15 New York synagogues hit with false bomb threats on Friday

FBI New York Warns of Charity Fraud During Israel-Hamas Conflict

FBI Jacksonville Warns of Charity Fraud Amid Conflicts

CISA: Threat Actors Targeting Unitronics Devices Used in Water Facilities

CISA warns of attacks on Unitronics tool used by water utilities, wastewater systems

Federal officials investigating after pro-Iran group allegedly hacked water authority in Pennsylvania

Thousands of fake Facebook accounts shut down by Meta were primed to polarize voters ahead of 2024

Ransomware ‘catastrophe’ at Fidelity National Financial causes panic with homeowners and buyers

Will ChatGPT write ransomware? Yes.

IRS, Security Summit partners launch 2023 National Tax Security Awareness Week focusing on holiday scams, protecting personal information as tax season nears

Justice Department Announces Charges in Connection with Foiled Plot to Assassinate U.S. Citizen in New York City

CISA Announces Secure by Design Alert Series: How Vendor Decisions Can Reduce Harm at a Global Scale

CISA - Unlocking Tomorrow’s Cybersecurity: A Sneak Peek into ReadySetCyber

In this week's Security Sprint, Dave and Jen talk about the following topics:

Buffalo Border Explosion: https://abc7chicago.com/niagara-falls-rainbow-bridge-explosion-border/14100486/

Scams and Black E-commerce threats.

FBI Report. https://www.fbi.gov/contact-us/field-offices/elpaso/news/fbi-el-paso-warns-of-not-so-jolly-holiday-scams

How to shop online safely. https://www.cyber.gc.ca/en/guidance/how-shop-online-safely-itsap00071

Thanksgiving Cyber feast: Safeguarding against seasonal scams. https://cybersecurity.att.com/blogs/security-essentials/thanksgiving-cyber-feast-safeguarding-against-seasonal-scams

‘Tis the Season for Cybercrime: What to Watch for and How to Protect Yourself. https://www.fortinet.com/blog/industry-trends/protecting-yourself-against-cybercrime-this-season

Black Friday & Cyber Monday | A Guide to Avoiding Cyber Scams During the Holiday. https://www.sentinelone.com/blog/black-friday-cyber-monday-a-guide-to-avoiding-cyber-scams-during-the-holidays/

The dark side of Black Friday: decoding cyberthreats around the year’s biggest shopping season. https://securelist.com/black-friday-cyberthreat-report-2023/111076/

How to stay protected on the web this holiday season. https://www.zscaler.com/blogs/product-insights/how-stay-protected-web-holiday-season

Black Friday & Cyber Monday Ecommerce Security Threats. https://blog.sucuri.net/2023/11/ecommerce-security-black-friday-cyber-monday-threats.html

Guide to Retail Security: Protecting Against Cyber and Physical Threats During the Holidays. https://flashpoint.io/blog/2023-holiday-retail-security/

Quick Hits.

Shopping Safety. https://fox4kc.com/news/after-shootings-at-kc-area-shopping-centers-police-stress-black-friday-safety/

Vermont Hate-Based Shooting. https://www.cnn.com/2023/11/26/us/palestinian-students-shot-burlington-vermont/index.html

Ohio Walmart Shooting. https://abcnews.go.com/US/ohio-walmart-shooting-suspect-motived-racial-extremism-fbi/story?id=105110784&cid=social_twitter_abcn

In this episode of The Gate 15 Interview, Andy Jabbour welcomes Akmal Ali, Founder & CEO of Aluma and inOrbit. Formerly serving as the Deputy Director of the SAFETY Act program within U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Akmal was a key contributor in expanding the scope of the program, as the department considered how to responsibly leverage the granted protections to further its mission to protect the homeland. These efforts included the expansion of for security services, cybersecurity and venue security-related applications from the private sector. The impact of this expansion is still a hallmark of the program today, as operators of many high-profile venues rely upon and engage with DHS in seeking SAFETY Act protections. At DHS, Akmal participated in extensive intra- and inter-agency collaboration with other government agencies to include the Transportation Security Administration, Customs and Border Protection, Domestic Nuclear Detection Office, U.S. Department of Defense, U.S. Department of Energy, and the Federal Aviation Administration. As a result of this experience, Akmal was exposed to a wide range of industries and perspectives that helped forge the underlying principles for how Aluma serves its clients today. Since departing DHS in 2011, Akmal has carried those ideals with him as he’s worked some of the country’s most high-profile and innovative companies. Akmal is based in the Washington, DC area.

Akmal on LinkedIn. 

 

In the discussion we address:

Akmal’s background, from Afghanistan to Jacksonville to Washington, D.C.

The SAFETY Act, venue security, resilience and risk management

Akmal’s companies, Aluma and inOrbit (and the great story of that name)

Volunteering with the International Association of Venue Managers, IAVM’s Academy for Venue Safety and Security and serving with “The Avengers of Security Professionals” including Brad Mayne, Mark Herrera, Joe Levy, Alex Keen

Akmal shares the four core tenants of effective security management

Dodgeball, Patches O'Houlihan, the Detroit Lions and the Jacksonville Jaguars, great pizza, great movies, a dip into the philosophy of Akmal, and more!

 

A few references mentioned in or relevant to our discussion include:

Aluma

inOrbit

DHS: The Office of SAFETY Act Implementation