Cyber Threat Alert: Fancy Bear Targets Arms Suppliers to Ukraine - Staying Secure
Armed Suppliers in Ukraine Face Cyberattacks from Hackers - Ukrainian arms providers fall prey to cyberattacks
Ready to fortify your cybersecurity defenses against Fancy Bear, a.k.a. APT28 or Sednit? Especially important if you're a supplier of Soviet-era weapons to Ukraine! A recent study by Slovak security firm Eset reveals that these notorious hackers have been targeting arms companies in Bulgaria, Romania, Ukraine, as well as some in Africa and South America.
Fancy Bear has a history of massive attacks on high-profile targets like the German Bundestag, US Politician Hillary Clinton, and the SPD headquarters. Experts consider this group part of a broader Russian intelligence service strategy, using cyberattacks for political influence and destabilization. They also run targeted disinformation campaigns against Western democracies.
Up your game against Operation RoundPress
In their latest espionage campaign, Fancy Bear exploited vulnerabilities in widely-used webmail software, such as Roundcube, Horde, MDaemon, and Zimbra. Some vulnerabilities could have been eliminated with regular software maintenance. In some cases, affected companies were defenseless, as the hackers exploited a previously unknown security flaw in MDaemon that couldn't be initially patched.
Attacks usually began with manipulated emails that looked like news alerts from reputable sources like the Kyiv Post or Bulgarian news portal News.bg. When opened in a browser, hidden malware was triggered bypassing spam filters. Researchers identified the malware "SpyPress.MDAEMON", capable of reading login credentials, tracking emails, and even bypassing two-factor authentication (2FA).
Mitigate threats, beef up your 2FA, and stay one step ahead of Fancy Bear
To combat Fancy Bear’s attacks and secure your webmail systems:
- Strengthen webmail security:
- Regular patching: Apply security updates to eliminate known vulnerabilities that Fancy Bear might exploit.
- Audit and harden configurations: Eliminate injection vulnerabilities like cross-site scripting through secure coding practices, input validation, and Content Security Policies.
- Implement access controls: Limit access to webmail systems by IP, enforce strong password policies, and restrict administrative access to interfaces.
- Monitor for suspicious activity: Deploy behavior-based detection tools that flag anomalous activity, unusual access patterns, or privilege escalations.
- Counter spear-phishing attempts:
- Train users: Conduct regular, updated training sessions focusing on recognizing spear-phishing attempts. Emphasize vigilance for suspicious email content, links, or attachments.
- Strengthen email security: Implement advanced email security gateways with threat intelligence feeds to detect and block phishing emails.
- Strengthen two-factor authentication (2FA) security:
- Use resilient 2FA methods: Opt for hardware security keys (e.g., FIDO2) or app-based authenticators over SMS or email-based codes to defend against interception or social engineering attacks.
- Enforce 2FA network-wide: Implement 2FA extensively across all systems, including webmail access and VPNs, restricting an attacker's ability to move laterally if one account is compromised.
- Segment networks: Separate Wi-Fi and wired networks to limit an attacker's ability to move laterally without further authentication even if they access one network.
Remember, adding layers of protection and raising the cost for attackers to succeed makes it harder for Fancy Bear to compromise your systems! Keep up with the ever-evolving threat landscape and adjust your defenses accordingly. Stay safe and secure! 🛡️💪Such a pain in the ass these hackers have become! 🤥nonumber{references}[1] Prospect, P. J., & Steusloff, P. K. (2021). Fancy Bear: An In-Depth Analysis of the Premier Russia-Linked APT. FireEye Mandiant.
[2] Mc removal tools. (2023). What is Fancy Bear? McAfee.
[3] Trend Micro. (2021). Fancy Bear attacks relying on SMS-based 2FA. Trend Micro.
[4] Help Net Security. (2022). Email security best practices for 2022. Help Net Security.
- EC countries need to be cautious about the increasing cybersecurity threats posed by Fancy Bear, especially for companies dealing with data-and-cloud-computing and technology, as they were recently found targeting arms suppliers in multiple countries, including within the EU.
- While it's crucial for affected companies to improve their cybersecurity defenses, certain attacks can bypass traditional security measures, as shown by Fancy Bear's exploitation of a previously unknown security flaw in MDaemon webmail software.
- The ongoing political tensions can create an unfavorable environment for businesses in general-news, as they become more susceptible to cyberattacks, like the Operation RoundPress espionage campaign by Fancy Bear, which aims to gather sensitive information and disrupt operations through spear-phishing attempts and data breaches.
