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Advanced Persistent Threats (APTs): Mitigation Strategies

Advanced Persistent Threats (APTs) pose significant challenges to organizations across industries. The attack targets sensitive data, intellectual property, and critical infrastructure. Advanced Persistent Threats (APTs) are sophisticated cyber attacks orchestrated by well-funded, highly skilled groups. Unlike opportunistic attacks, which seek to exploit vulnerabilities for short-term gain, APTs are characterized by their persistence, stealth, and strategic objectives. APT actors employ a combination of advanced techniques, including social engineering, zero-day exploits, and targeted malware, to infiltrate organizations' networks, evade detection, and maintain long-term access.

Characteristics of APTs:

  1. Persistence: APT actors are relentless in their pursuit of unauthorized access to targeted networks, often employing stealthy techniques to maintain persistence over extended periods, sometimes months or even years.
  2. Targeted: APT attacks are highly targeted, focusing on specific organizations, industries, or individuals with access to valuable data or resources of interest to the threat actor.
  3. Sophistication: APT attacks are characterized by their sophistication and complexity, leveraging advanced techniques and tools to bypass traditional security defenses and evade detection.
  4. Covert Operations: APT actors operate covertly, using encrypted communications, custom malware, and obfuscation techniques to conceal their activities from security monitoring systems.
  5. Strategic Objectives: APT attacks are driven by strategic objectives, such as espionage, intellectual property theft, sabotage, or geopolitical influence, rather than immediate financial gain.

Motives Behind APT Attacks:

The motives behind APT attacks vary depending on the nature of the threat actor and their objectives. Some common motives include:

  1. Espionage: APT groups often target government agencies to gather intelligence and monitor adversaries' activities.
  2. Intellectual Property Theft: APT actors target corporations and research institutions to steal proprietary information, trade secrets, and sensitive research data for competitive advantage or financial gain.
  3. Sabotage: APT attacks may aim to disrupt critical infrastructure, undermine public trust, or cause economic damage to rivals.
  4. Cyber Attacks: APT attacks may be part of broader cyber warfare campaigns aimed at disrupting communications, disrupting critical services, or undermining the stability of targets.

Common Techniques Used in APT Attacks:

  1. Spear Phishing: APT actors use targeted spear-phishing emails to deliver malicious payloads, such as malware-laden attachments or links to malicious websites, to unsuspecting victims within the target organization.
  2. Zero-Day Exploits: APT actors exploit previously unknown vulnerabilities, known as zero-day exploits, to gain unauthorized access to systems and networks without detection.
  3. Credential Theft: APT actors use various techniques, such as keylogging, credential phishing, and brute-force attacks, to steal user credentials and escalate privileges within the target environment.
  4. Malware Implants: APT actors deploy custom-designed malware implants, such as Remote Access Trojans (RATs), backdoors, and command-and-control (C2) frameworks, to maintain persistent access to compromised systems and exfiltrate sensitive data.
  5. Lateral Movement: Once inside the target network, APT actors use lateral movement techniques to explore network, modify privileges, and move laterally to high-value assets and critical systems.

Mitigation Strategies for APTs:

Given the persistent and stealthy nature of APT attacks, organizations must adopt a comprehensive and multi-layered approach to mitigate the risk of compromise and minimize the impact of APT incidents. Here are some effective mitigation strategies:

  1. Security Awareness Training: Educate employees about the risks of APTs and the importance of practicing good cyber hygiene, such as avoiding suspicious emails, using strong passwords, and reporting security incidents promptly.
  2. Network Segmentation: Implement network segmentation to limit the scope of APT attacks and prevent lateral movement within the network. Segmenting the network into distinct security zones with strict access controls can help contain the spread of APT activity.
  3. Least Privilege Access: Enforce the principle of least privilege to restrict user access rights and limit the ability of APT actors to escalate privileges and move laterally within the network. Regularly review and update access permissions based on users' roles and responsibilities.
  4. Endpoint Protection: Deploy advanced endpoint protection solutions, such as next-generation antivirus (NGAV), endpoint detection and response (EDR), and application whitelisting, to detect and block APT malware and suspicious activities on endpoints.
  5. Threat Intelligence: Leverage threat intelligence feeds and services to stay informed about emerging APT threats, tactics, and techniques. Incorporate threat intelligence into security monitoring and incident response processes to identify and respond to APT activity more effectively.
  6. Secure Configuration Management: Implement secure configuration management practices to harden systems, applications, and network devices against APT attacks. Regularly update and patch software to address known vulnerabilities and reduce the attack surface.
  7. Intrusion Detection and Prevention Systems (IDPS): Implement Intrusion Detection and Prevention System (IDPS) solutions to oversee network traffic, identifying potential Advanced Persistent Threat (APT) actions like unusual behavior, suspicious connections, and recognizable malware signatures. Tailor IDPS rules to issue alerts and promptly prevent suspicious activities.
  8. Incident Response Planning: Develop and regularly test incident response plans to ensure readiness to detect, contain, and mitigate APT incidents effectively. Establish clear roles and responsibilities, communication protocols, and escalation procedures for responding to APT attacks.

Advanced Persistent Threats (APTs) represent a significant and persistent threat to organizations' cybersecurity posture, requiring a proactive and multi-faceted approach to mitigation. For more information about cybersecurity solutions for enterprises, contact Centex Technologies at Killeen (254) 213 – 4740, Dallas (972) 375 – 9654, Atlanta (404) 994 – 5074, and Austin (512) 956 – 5454

Hijacking Machine Learning Models to Deploy Malware

ML model hijacking, sometimes called model inversion attacks or model stealing, is a technique where an adversary seeks to reverse-engineer or clone an ML model deployed within an AI system. Once the attacker successfully obtains a copy of the model, they can manipulate it to produce erroneous or malicious outcomes.

How Does it Work?

  1. Gathering Information: Attackers begin by collecting data from the targeted AI system. This might involve sending numerous queries to the AI model or exploiting vulnerabilities to gain insights into its behavior.
  2. Model Extraction: Using various techniques like query-based attacks or exploiting system vulnerabilities, the attacker extracts the ML model's architecture and parameters.
  3. Manipulation: Once in possession of the model, the attacker can modify it to perform malicious actions. For example, they might tweak a recommendation system to promote harmful content or deploy malware that evades traditional detection methods.
  4. Deployment: The manipulated model is reintroduced into the AI system, where it operates alongside the legitimate model. This allows attackers to infiltrate and spread malware across the network.

The Implications

Hijacking machine learning (ML) models poses significant threats to enterprises, as it can have far-reaching consequences for data security, business operations, and overall trust in AI systems. Here are the key threats that ML model hijacking poses to enterprises, summarized in points:

  1. Data Breaches: ML model hijacking can expose sensitive data used during model training, leading to data breaches. Attackers can access confidential information, such as customer data, financial records, or proprietary algorithms.
  2. Model Manipulation: Attackers can tamper with ML models, introducing biases or making malicious predictions. This can lead to incorrect decision-making, fraud detection failures, or altered recommendations.
  3. Revenue Loss: Hijacked ML models can generate fraudulent transactions, impacting revenue and profitability. For example, recommendation systems may suggest counterfeit products or services.
  4. Reputation Damage: ML model hijacking can erode trust in an enterprise's AI systems. Customer trust is essential, and a breach can lead to reputational damage and loss of business.
  5. Intellectual Property Theft: Enterprises invest heavily in developing ML models. Hijacking can result in the theft of proprietary algorithms and models, harming competitiveness.
  6. Regulatory Non-Compliance: Breaches can lead to non-compliance with data protection regulations such as GDPR or HIPAA, resulting in hefty fines and legal consequences.
  7. Resource Consumption: Attackers can use hijacked models for cryptocurrency mining or other resource-intensive tasks, causing increased operational costs for the enterprise.
  8. Supply Chain Disruption: In sectors like manufacturing, automotive, or healthcare, hijacked ML models can disrupt supply chains, leading to production delays and product quality issues.
  9. Loss of Competitive Advantage: Stolen ML models can be used by competitors, eroding the competitive advantage gained from AI innovations.
  10. Resource Drain: Large-scale hijacking can consume significant computational resources, causing system slowdowns and potentially crashing services.
  11. Operational Disruption: If critical AI systems are compromised, enterprises may face significant operational disruptions, affecting daily business processes.
  12. Ransom Attacks: Attackers may demand ransom payments to release hijacked models or data, further escalating financial losses.

Protecting Against ML Model Hijacking

  1. Model Encryption: Implement encryption techniques to protect ML models from unauthorized access.
  2. Access Control: Restrict access to ML models and ensure that only authorized personnel can make queries or access them.
  3. Model Watermarking: Embed digital watermarks or fingerprints within models to detect unauthorized copies.
  4. Anomaly Detection: Employ anomaly detection systems to monitor the behavior of AI models and flag any suspicious activities.
  5. Security Testing: Conduct thorough security assessments of AI systems, including vulnerability scanning and penetration testing.
  6. Regular Updates: Keep AI systems, frameworks, and libraries updated to patch known vulnerabilities.

As the adoption of AI and ML continues to grow, so does the risk of ML model hijacking. Organizations must recognize this silent threat and proactively secure their AI systems. By implementing robust cybersecurity measures and staying vigilant, enterprises can defend against the hijacking of ML models and protect their networks from stealthy malware deployment and other malicious activities. 

For information about cybersecurity solutions for enterprises, contact Centex Technologies at Killeen (254) 213 – 4740, Dallas (972) 375 – 9654, Atlanta (404) 994 – 5074, and Austin (512) 956 – 5454.

 

Hardware-based Malware Protection

Hardware-based malware protection refers to a set of security measures that are implemented at the hardware level to protect computer systems from malware attacks. These measures include hardware-based firewalls, intrusion detection and prevention systems, hardware-based encryption, and secure boot processes.

How Does Hardware-Based Malware Protection Work?

Here are some of the key components of hardware-based malware protection:

  1. Hardware-based Firewalls: Hardware-based firewalls are devices that are installed between a computer network and the internet to monitor and filter network traffic. They are designed to prevent unauthorized access to a network by blocking incoming traffic that does not meet specified security criteria. Hardware-based firewalls are more secure than software-based firewalls because they operate at the network interface level, making them harder to bypass.
  2. Intrusion Detection and Prevention Systems: Intrusion Detection and Prevention Systems (IDPS) are designed to detect and prevent unauthorized access to computer systems. IDPS can be implemented at the network or host level and can detect a wide range of attacks, including malware, viruses, and hacking attempts. IDPS are typically more effective than traditional antivirus software because they can detect attacks that are not yet known to the antivirus vendor.
  3. Hardware-Based Encryption: Hardware-based encryption involves using a dedicated encryption module that is built into the computer hardware to encrypt and decrypt data. This provides an extra layer of security because the encryption and decryption keys are stored in the hardware, making them harder to access than software-based encryption keys.
  4. Secure Boot Process: Secure boot is a process that ensures the integrity of the system boot process by verifying the authenticity of the boot loader and operating system before allowing the system to start up. Secure boot is typically implemented in the computer's firmware or BIOS and is designed to prevent malware from infecting the system during the boot process.

Benefits of Hardware-Based Malware Protection

Hardware-based malware protection offers several benefits over traditional software-based solutions, including:

  1. Greater Security: Hardware-based malware protection offers a more secure form of protection because it operates at the hardware level, making it harder to bypass or disable. Additionally, because hardware-based security measures can detect and prevent attacks before they can reach the operating system or software applications, they provide an extra layer of protection against malware.
  2. Greater Reliability: Hardware-based malware protection is more reliable than traditional software-based solutions because it is built into the hardware itself. This means that it is less susceptible to software bugs and can detect and prevent malware attacks more reliably.
  3. Better Performance: Hardware-based malware protection can provide better performance than traditional software-based solutions because it operates at the hardware level, which is faster than software-based solutions. Additionally, hardware-based solutions can offload processing from the CPU, which can help to improve system performance.
  4. More Difficult to Circumvent: Hardware-based malware protection is much more difficult to circumvent than traditional software-based solutions. Because the security measures are built into the hardware, it is much harder for attackers to disable or bypass them. This provides an additional layer of protection against malware attacks.
  5. Lower Overhead: Hardware-based malware protection can be more efficient than traditional software-based solutions because it operates at the hardware level. This means that it can offload processing from the CPU, which can help to reduce the overhead associated with software-based solutions.

Challenges of Hardware-Based Malware Protection

While hardware-based malware protection offers many benefits, there are also some challenges associated with implementing it. These challenges include:

  1. Cost: Hardware-based malware protection can be more expensive than traditional software-based solutions. This is because it requires additional hardware components and specialized expertise to implement and maintain.
  2. Complexity: Hardware-based malware protection can be more complex to implement than traditional software-based solutions. This is because it requires specialized hardware and software components that need to be configured and integrated into the existing system architecture.
  3. Compatibility: Hardware-based malware protection may not be compatible with all hardware and software platforms. This can limit its effectiveness and require additional customization and testing to ensure compatibility.

To know more about setting up your enterprise computer network system, contact Centex Technologies. You can contact Centex Technologies at Killeen (254) 213 - 4740, Dallas (972) 375 - 9654, Atlanta (404) 994 - 5074, and Austin (512) 956 – 5454.

Malware Analysis & Cybersecurity

Malware is a type of invasive software that can harm and destroy computer networks, servers, hosts, and computer systems. It serves as a blanket word for any forms of malicious software that are created with the purpose of causing harm to or abusing any programmable system, network, or service. Malware threats emerge in a variety of forms, including viruses, worms, adware, spyware, trojan viruses, and ransomware.

Malware analysis is the process of identifying and minimizing possible dangers to a website, application, or server. It is an essential procedure that improves sensitive information protection as well as computer security for a company. Vulnerabilities are addressed through malware analysis before they become major problems.

How can Malware analysis assist security professionals in detecting and preventing security threats?

Performing Malware analysis helps security professionals in the following ways: -

  1. To determine the origin of cyber-attacks.
  2. To estimate the severity and impact of a potential security threat.
  3. To determine the exploitation potential, vulnerabilities, and patching mechanisms.
  4. To logically prioritize the malware activity based on the seriousness of the threats.
  5. To identify and block any hidden IoCs (Indicators of Compromise) and IoAs (Indicators of Attack)
  6. To improve the effectiveness of IoCs, IoAs, SOC alerts, and notifications.

Malware analysis methodologies preferred by Cyber Security professionals

Static Analysis

During a static malware analysis, the malware's source code is inspected. After decoding the malware's source code, the IT team can inspect it to determine how it operates. By observing how the code operates, IT personnel may be able to build more secure procedures. In addition, static malware analysis serves as a logic check for the final analysis of dynamic malware.

Dynamic Analysis

Dynamic malware investigation refers to the process of quickly analyzing how malware acts. This requires checking the system for any changes the virus may have done. Newly launched processes and those whose settings have recently changed are tracked. In addition, the analysis would consider any changes to the DNS server settings on the client workstation. In addition to analyzing files and processes, dynamic malware investigation also analyzes network traffic and system behavior.

Combinatorial Malware Analysis

The most advantageous method is to combine both kinds of malware analysis methods. Combinatorial malware analysis can extract many more IoCs from statically generated code and uncover buried malicious code. Even the most complex malware may be detected by it.

Application of Malware Analysis in cybersecurity

Application of YARA and Sigma rules to detect and hunt threats

More advanced methods are being used by adversaries to elude existing detection systems. Threats may be found more quickly by using YARA and Sigma rules to spot malicious functionality or suspicious infrastructure. Extraction of IoCs is another result of malware investigation. To help teams stay alert to relevant risks in the future, the IoCs may subsequently be fed into SIEM solutions, TIPs (Threat Intelligence Platforms), and security orchestration tools.

Research & Development in Detection Engineering

Malware researchers from academia or corporate industries analyze malware to learn about the most recent tactics, vulnerabilities, and tools employed by adversaries. Threat researchers can leverage behavior and artifacts revealed by malware analysis to identify comparable activities, such as access to a certain network connection, port, or domain. SOC teams may utilize this data to detect comparable threats by analyzing firewall and proxy logs or SIEM data. Early in the attack life cycle, malware analysis systems offer higher-fidelity alarms. Security teams can therefore save time by prioritizing the outcomes from these alerts over other technologies.

Contact Centex Technologies for more information on how to protect your business from cyberattacks. You can call Centex Technologies at Killeen (254) 213 - 4740, Dallas (972) 375 - 9654, Atlanta (404) 994 - 5074, and Austin (512) 956 – 5454.

Security Concerns Associated With Digital Wallets

Digital wallets are virtual wallets that store financial information and identification documents and allow users to conduct online/offline transactions. Depending on the type of digital wallet, it may contain debit, credit, prepaid, and loyalty card data, as well as personal information like a driver's license, health card, and other identification documents. Cyber criminals can make efforts to get access to this information for monetary benefits.  In order to stay protected, it is important to have in-depth knowledge of the prevailing security risks.

Following is a list of some of the well-known security risks associated with digital wallets:

Attempting to tamper with the application connected to the digital wallet

Backdoor in a mobile payment app allows an attacker to steal login credentials and transfer them to a server controlled by the attacker. This may allow attackers to use information in digital wallet for fraudulent activities.

Exploiting the vulnerabilities of the application connected to the digital wallet

Unauthorized access to mobile payment capability might arise as a result of an attack on mobile payment APIs used for in-app purchases. This may allow attackers to carry out fraudulent transactions.

Theft of bank and credit card accounts linked to the mobile payment app can also lead to fraud. A fraudster might potentially take advantage of flaws in the registration process to add a new mobile device to the user profile and use it to make fraudulent transactions.

Malware/rootkits installation

Rootkit is a serious threat vector that may be used to directly monitor and hijack/alter API requests as they are marshaled to and from the API endpoint connected to the digital wallet. Attackers may manipulate variables in transit, such as payment amounts.

Permissions for gaining access to the device operating system

With the approval of the user, an OS may grant access to particular resources. Even if a program isn't malicious, having certain permissions might allow it to access sensitive information which can be utilized by another app to get unauthorised access to information stored in the digital wallet installed on the device.

Verifying identities of users

On a stolen device, if a hacker is able to circumvent biometric authentication, user’s complete financial/ payment information would be compromised and payments can be made. In some cases, users may authorize payments by just inputting the lock screen pattern on a mobile phone. Because this information can be easily accessed by eavesdropping, it might encourage opportunistic attackers to hijack a device and make payments on the victim’s behalf.

Payments that are illegitimate

If the card issuer’s terms and conditions are not followed, the issuer may refuse to take culpability for fraud.

Payment transaction accountability

To make a payment, the providers demand fingerprint authentication. There have been instances where fingerprint authentication has been bypassed or compromised on mobile devices. Also, when several users have access to the device, accountability is compromised and it might be difficult to identify the individual who made the payment.

Stolen equipment has a larger attack surface

If a device connected to a digital wallet is stolen, criminals may be able to acquire access to payment cards.

Phishing and social engineering assaults

As digital wallets become more widely adopted, attackers may be enticed to launch attacks imitating genuine applications to seek credit card details. They may also resort to phishing and social engineering in an attempt to persuade users to provide the information required to carry an attack.

Centex Technologies provides advanced cybersecurity solutions to businesses. For more information, contact Centex Technologies at Killeen (254) 213 - 4740, Dallas (972) 375 - 9654, Atlanta (404) 994 - 5074, and Austin (512) 956 – 5454.

Use Of Pirated Games To Spread Cryptojacking Malware

Pirated versions of popular games such as Grand Theft Auto V, NBA 2K19 and Pro Evolution Soccer 2018 attract a large number of gamers as they can download these versions free from different forums. However, there might be a hidden cost associated with these pirated versions of popular games. It has been reported that threat artists are using the cracked or pirated versions of popular games to distribute malware. This malware aims at secretly mining cryptocurrency using the infected systems.

The threat has been identified as Crackonosh and has been found to be active since June 2018. The malware wipes out the antivirus programs installed on the target system and uses the system for mining cryptocurrency.

Understanding Crackonosh

The main aim of Crackonosh is to install XMRig on the infected system. XMRig is a coin miner which is then used by the threat actors to secretly mine Monero cryptocurrency using the cracked software downloaded on the infected machine. Reports suggest that the threat actors have mined over $2 Million, or 9000 XMR in total. As of May 2021, the malware was reported to be still getting about 1000 hits a day.

Here is a brief account of how the malware operates:

Disabling Antivirus

Crackonosh caught the eyes of researchers when a large number of people reported that Avast Antivirus programs were removed from their systems. The malware has the capability to remove antivirus software and disabling security software & updates in addition to the use of other anti-analysis techniques. This makes it harder to discover, detect and remove the malware. Crackonosh can delete antivirus programs that use the command - rd <AV directory> /s /q; where <AV directory> is the default directory name that specific antivirus product uses, for example Adaware, Bitdefender, Escan, F-secure, Kaspersky, McAfee (scanner only), Norton and Panda.

Infection Chain

Here is the brief infection process:

  • The target downloads and installs the cracked or pirated software.
  • The installer runs maintenance vbs and starts the installation process using msi.
  • msi registers and runs the main malware executable serviceinstaller.exe.
  • The executable installs a file titled DLL, which extracts winlogui.exe and downloads winscomrssrv.dll and winrmsrv.exe.
  • These files are contained, decrypted and placed in the folder.

Disabling Windows Defender

The malware deletes Windows Defender and Windows Update by deleting a list of registry entries. The motive is to stop Windows Defender and turn off automatic updates. Later, it installs its own MSASCuiL.exe instead of Windows Defender, which adds a Windows Security icon to the system tray. This tricks the user and prevents him from discovering the removal of original Windows Defender.

Conclusion:

Crackonosh attack re-emphasizes on the fact ‘when you try to steal a software, chances are someone is trying to steal from you.’ Such attacks can be prevented by steering away from downloading and using pirated or cracked software. Also, stay cautious and download software from authentic developer.

Centex Technologies has a team of cyber security professionals who help clients in understanding latest cyber security threats and formulate an effective defense strategy. To know more about latest malware attacks, call Centex Technologies at (972) 375 - 9654.

Types Of Cyber Attacks

Cyber-attacks have become sophisticated and are now capable of causing long-term effects on organizations. Thus, businesses need to prepare comprehensive cybersecurity policies. The first step to drafting a cybersecurity policy is to be aware of the threats.

Here are the types of cyber-attacks that an organization is most likely to face:

  • Brute Force Attack: Under this type of attack, the attackers adopt a trial and error approach to guess the password to a system or user account. They try every possible combination of passwords or passphrases until the account is unlocked. Brute force attacks are expedited by using software or tools that can push many possible passwords in a short time. Some of the tools used by cybercriminals include Aircrack-ng, Crack, Hashcat, Hydra, etc.
    Safety Tips:
  • Use complex passwords and change them regularly
  • Set a limit on number of login attempts
  • Enable captchas
  • Employ multi-factor authentication
  • Credential Stuffing: Credential stuffing cyber-attack is based on the assumption that users tend to keep the same password across multiple accounts. Attackers use a database of compromised credentials (password breach database available on the dark web containing stolen credentials from data breaches) to gain unauthorized access to an account. The attackers use bots for automating and scaling up the attack. The hacked accounts can be used for financial theft, fraudulent transactions, misuse of stored data, etc.

Safety Tips:

  • Employ multi-step login process throughout the organization
  • Blacklist suspicious IP addresses
  • Use techniques such as device fingerprinting
  • Phishing & Spear Phishing: Phishing is one of the most common cyber-attack types. Attackers frame an email that looks legitimate with a seemingly trusted source to trick targets into providing personal details. The emails generally include matters that would require a user to act in a hurry; for example, the email may mention that the user needs to verify his details within a few minutes to avoid being charged a penalty or account suspension by his financial institution. The attackers use technical knowledge in conjunction with social engineering to design a successful phishing attack. Spear phishing is a more targeted attack where the attackers research the target to prepare a more personalized message or email.

Safety Tips:

  • Be wary of emails from unknown sources
  • Before clicking on a link, hover over it to see the destination
  • Pay close attention to email headers
  • Malware Attacks: Malware is a broad term representing attacks where malicious software is downloaded on the target device to steal, encrypt, or delete sensitive data for business or financial benefits. Majorly known forms of malware include adware, bots, ransomware, and Trojans.

Safety Tips:

  • Use a dedicated tool for adware removal
  • Install firewall and keep the system up-to-date
  • Perform frequent backup
  • Avoid downloads from unknown sources

Centex Technologies is committed to helping clients understand cyber-attacks and formulate an effective strategy to stay protected. For more information, call Centex Technologies at (972) 375 - 9654.

Jokeroo: Things To Know

Jokeroo is a type of ‘Ransomware As A Service’. So, in order to understand Jokeroo, it is first important to understand what is RaaS (Ransomware As A Service). RaaS is a mode of selling the use of ransomware to different affiliates.

The developer creates the ransomware and a payment site. The affiliates can sign up on the payment site. Once signed up, these affiliates help in distributing the ransomware to different victims. The ransom collected from the victims is then split between the developer and the affiliate.

Features Of Jokeroo RaaS:

  • In order to spread infection via Jokeroo ransomware, the developers distribute the ransomware via developers of other programs as well.
  • Jokeroo acts as a RaaS that offers membership packages to its affiliates. The services available to the affiliates depend upon the membership tier.
  • Once signed up, the affiliates gain access to dashboard of Jokeroo RaaS platform. The dashboard will show the membership level of the affiliate, list of victims, when they were infected, and if the victim has paid the ransom or not.
  • Affiliates can also look deeper to check the victim list and their IP address. The list also includes information such as Windows version and geographic location.
  • Jokeroo RaaS allows the affiliates to create their customized ransom notes.

How To Remove Jokeroo Ransomware?

If the victim has working backup of the infected files or is never going to try and recover the lost files, then the simple ways to remove Jokeroo ransomware are to:

  • Scan the computer with one or more antivirus and anti-malware programs
  • Reinstall the operating system

In case the victim needs to recover the encrypted files, victims can try to decrypt the files or use methods of file recovery.

  • Restore From Backup: If regular backups have been made on a separate device, then the victim can easily recover the files after running antivirus and antimalware scans to remove the ransomware.
  • File Recovery From Cloud Storage: Even if the encrypted files have been synced to the linked cloud storage, a number of cloud services retain the older versions of altered files for some days.
  • Recover Shadow Volume Copies: Volume Shadow Copy Service is a Windows technology that creates snapshots of the computer files on a regular basis and allows to revert any changes made on those files.

For more information on Jokeroo, call Centex Technologies at (972) 375 - 9654. 

Cybersecurity Practices For Small-Medium Size Businesses


Small-medium size businesses (SMBs) pose as an easy target to the cyber criminals. The reason behind an increased number of crimes against SMBs is that majority of cyber-attacks have an underlying motive of stealing personal data for identity theft and credit card fraud. Since SMB networks tend to be less secure, it becomes easier for the hackers to launch a breach successfully.

As there is an alarming increase in breach incidents, it has become important for SMB owners to pay more attention to cybersecurity. Some cybersecurity practices that SMBs should adopt are:

Document Your Cybersecurity Policies: It is important to document the cybersecurity policies, installed updates, analysis reports, etc. SMBs can make use of online planning guides to initiate the documentation process. Also, many portals offer online training, tips and checklists related to prevailing cybersecurity trends. This is an important step for SMBs to keep a track of their cybersecurity protocols.

Educate Your Employees: As the cyber-attacks are becoming more complex, the cybersecurity policies are also evolving. In addition to regularly updating the protocols, SMBs should define internet use guidelines and establish consequences of cybersecurity violations. The employees that have access to the network should be thoroughly educated about these updates and guidelines. They should be properly trained on security policies and ways to detect malware or infection.

Firewall: Make sure that your employees should use a firewall when accessing business network in office or at home. Firewalls act as fist line of defense against cyber-attacks targeted to access sensitive data. For an additional line of defense, SMBs should consider installing internal firewalls in addition to external firewall.

Mobile Device Security: As the BYOD culture is gaining popularity, most employees prefer using their own mobile devices to access business network and sensitive data. Since employees tend to download numerous applications or software on their mobile devices, they pose as a threat by accidentally downloading malware. A hacker can compromise the mobile device and gain access to the sensitive business data. Thus, educate your employees on the requirement to encrypt their data, install trusted security apps and password protect their devices.

Password Policies: Teach your employees to use strong passwords. You can ensure this by setting well-defined password policies for network access. Also, it is advisable for SMBs to use multi-factor authentication for granting network access to the employees and consumers. SMB owners can also lay out the policy that requires employees to change their passwords after a few months.

Data Backup: Invest in off-shore backup plans to ensure data retrieval in case of any disaster or data loss. Make it a point to back up the data at regular intervals. If possible, consider using automatic data backup settings.

 For more information about cybersecurity practices for SMBs, call Centex Technologies at (972) 375 - 9654.

Watering Hole Attack

A watering hole attack is an opportunistic cyber security attack where the attacker targets a specific group of end users, usually an organization.

What Does ‘Watering Hole Attack’ Mean?

The attack gets its name from a wildlife predatory tactic. Many predators in a forest lurk around a watering hole or an oasis to wait for their prey. As the prey comes to drink water from the oasis, the predator grabs the opportunity to attack. The cyber-attack follows a similar approach and is thus named as ‘Watering Hole Attack’.

How Is The ‘Watering Hole Attack’ Executed?

For executing the attack, hacker traps a single user to gain access to a corporation’s server. The attack is executed in a stepwise process:

  • Finding The Waterhole: The attackers begin the process by finding the waterhole. They conduct thorough research and observe their target user to find out the website that is frequently visited by him. This website acts as the waterhole.
  • Compromising The Website: Once the attackers identify the frequently visited website, they look for existing vulnerabilities in the website. They inject malicious JavaScript or HTML code in the ads or banners displayed on the website. When the end user accesses the compromised website, this code redirects him to a separate site where the malware is hosted.
  • Infecting the server: When targeted user accesses the site, a script containing the malware is automatically downloaded on the user’s system. This malware collects personal information from user’s device and sends it to the C&C server. In some cases, the malware script may allow complete access of the victim’s system to the attacker. The infection is then spread across other systems on the organization’s server.

Avoiding ‘Watering Hole Attack’

In order to increase the impact of an attack, hackers choose trusted websites for launching the infection. Also, they make use of zero-day exploits for infesting these websites. This makes it difficult for traditional tools like antivirus to detect these attacks at an early stage. Thus, employing preventive measures is the best way to keep yourself safe from Watering Hole Attacks.

  • Keep your system updated with latest software patches.
  • Configure firewalls & other network security protocols.
  • Monitor the popular websites visited by your employees to ensure that these sites are not infested with any malware.
  • Regularly monitor your organization’s websites to detect any malware at its earliest stage.
  • Use browser’s private settings and VPN services to hide your online activities.
  • Configure your security tools to keep users notified about compromised websites.
  • Educate your employees about ‘Watering Hole Attacks’ and ways to avoid them.

For more information on Watering Hole Attack, contact Centex Technologies at (972) 375 - 9654.