New ShrinkLocker ransomware uses BitLocker to encrypt your files
A new ransomware strain called ShrinkLocker creates a new boot partition to encrypt corporate systems using Windows BitLocker.
How ransomware abuses BitLocker | Securelist
The Kaspersky GERT has detected a VBS script that has been abusing Microsoft Windows features by modifying the system to lower the defenses and using the local MS BitLocker utility to encrypt entire drives and demand a ransom. #BitLocker #Data #Descriptions #Encryption #Incident #Malware #Microsoft #Ransomware #Technologies #Windows #response
Microsoft: APT28 hackers exploit Windows flaw reported by NSA
Microsoft warns that the Russian APT28 threat group exploits a Windows Print Spooler vulnerability to escalate privileges and steal credentials and data using a previously unknown hacking tool called GooseEgg. #APT28 #Computer #Credential #Escalation #Exploit #GooseEgg #InfoSec #NSA #Print #Privilege #Security #Spooler #Theft #Windows
Windows 11, Tesla, and Ubuntu Linux hacked at Pwn2Own Vancouver
On the first day of Pwn2Own Vancouver 2024, contestants demoed Windows 11, Tesla, and Ubuntu Linux zero-day vulnerabilities and exploit chains to win $732,500 and a Tesla Model 3 car.
What a Cluster: Local Volumes Vulnerability in Kubernetes
- Akamai security researcher Tomer Peled recently discovered a high-severity vulnerability in Kubernetes that was assigned CVE-2023-5528 with a CVSS score of 7.2. The vulnerability allows remote code execution with SYSTEM privileges on all Windows endpoints within a Kubernetes cluster. To exploit this vulnerability, the attacker needs to apply malicious YAML files on the cluster. This vulnerability can lead to full takeover on all Windows nodes in a cluster. This vulnerability can be exploited on default installations of Kubernetes (earlier than version 1.28.4), and was tested against both on-prem deployments and Azure Kubernetes Service. In this blog post, we provide a proof-of-concept YAML file as well as an Open Policy Agent (OPA) rule for blocking this vulnerability.
Kubernetes Vulnerability Allows Remote Code Execution on Windows Endpoints
The exploitation of a high-severity Kubernetes vulnerability can lead to arbitrary code execution with System privileges on all Windows endpoints in a cluster, Akamai warns. The issue, tracked as CVE-2023-5528 and impacting default Kubernetes installations, exists in the way the open source container orchestration system processes YAML files, which it uses for virtually every function. In some regards, the vulnerability is like CVE-2023-3676, a lack of sanitization in the subPath parameter in YAML files leading to code injection when creating pods with volumes.
ESET fixed high-severity local privilege escalation bug in Windows products
Cybersecurity firm ESET has addressed a high-severity elevation of privilege vulnerability in its Windows security solution.
Zoom fixed critical flaw CVE-2024-24691 in Windows software
Zoom fixed 7 flaws in its desktop and mobile applications, including a critical bug (CVE-2024-24691) affecting the Windows software
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The "EventLogCrasher" 0day For Remotely Disabling Windows Event Log, And a Free Micropatch For It
If you ever troubleshooted anything on Windows or investigated a suspicious event, you know that Windows store various types of events in Windows Event Log. An application crashed and you want to know more about it? Launch the Event Viewer and check the Application log. A service behaving strangely? See the System log. A user account got unexpectedly blocked? The Security log may reveal who or what blocked it. All these events are getting stored to various logs through the Windows Event Log service. Unsurprisingly, this service's description says: "Stopping this service may compromise security and reliability of the system." The Windows Event Log service performs many tasks. Not only is it responsible for writing events coming from various source to persistent file-based logs (residing in %SystemRoot%\System32\Winevt\Logs), it also provides structured access to these stored events through applications like Event Viewer. Furthermore, this service also performs "event forwarding" if you want your events sent to a central log repository like Splunk or Sumo Logic, an intrusion detection system or a SIEM server. Therefore, Windows Event Log service plays an important role in many organizations' intrusion detection and forensic capabilities. And by extension, their compliance check boxes.
Bitwarden Heist - How to Break Into Password Vaults Without Using Passwords
Sometimes, making particular security design decisions can have unexpected consequences. For security-critical software, such as password managers, this can easily lead to catastrophic failure: In this blog post, we show how Bitwarden’s Windows Hello …
Microsoft disables MSIX protocol handler abused in malware attacks
Microsoft has again disabled the MSIX ms-appinstaller protocol handler after multiple financially motivated threat groups abused it to infect Windows users with malware.
Windows 10 gets three more years of security updates, if you can afford them | Ars Technica
Windows 10's end-of-support date is October 14, 2025. That's the day that most Windows 10 PCs will receive their last security update and the date when most people should find a way to move to Windows 11 to ensure that they stay secure. As it has done for other stubbornly popular versions of Windows, though, Microsoft is offering a reprieve for those who want or need to stay on Windows 10: three additional years of security updates, provided to those who can pay for the Extended Security Updates (ESU) program.
How to bypass Windows Hello, log into vulnerable laptops
Hardware security hackers have detailed how it's possible to bypass Windows Hello's fingerprint authentication and login as someone else – if you can steal or be left alone with their vulnerable device. The research was carried out by Blackwing Intelligence, primarily Jesse D'Aguanno and Timo Teräs, and was commissioned and sponsored by Microsoft's Offensive Research and Security Engineering group. The pair's findings were presented at the IT giant's BlueHat conference last month, and made public this week. You can watch the duo's talk below, or dive into the details in their write-up here.
The evolution of Windows authentication
Discover how we’re securing authentication and reducing NTLM usage in Windows.
CVE-2023-38146: Arbitrary Code Execution via Windows Themes
This is a fun bug I found while poking around at weird Windows file formats. It's a kind of classic Windows style vulnerability featuring broken signing, sketchy DLL loads, file races, cab files, and Mark-of-the-Web silliness. It was also my first experience submitting to the MSRC Windows bug bounty since leaving Microsoft in April of 2022.
Hackers exploit gaping Windows loophole to give their malware kernel access
Microsoft blocks a new batch of system drivers, but the loophole empowering them remains.
Unmasking the Meduza Stealer: Comprehensive Analysis & Countermeasures
Read Uptycs' analysis of the newly discovered Meduza Stealer malware targeting Windows users, revealing capabilities, potential impact & mitigation steps.
Decrypted: Akira Ransomware
Researchers for Avast have developed a decryptor for the Akira ransomware and released it for public download. The Akira ransomware appeared in March 2023 and since then, the gang claims successful attacks on various organizations in the education, finance and real estate industries, amongst others.
Patch Tuesday - Exploit Wednesday: Pwning Windows Ancillary Function Driver for WinSock (afd.sys) in 24 Hours
Dive into the analysis and exploitation of a vulnerability in the Windows Ancillary Function Driver for Winsock for Local Privilege Escalation on Windows 11. More from X-Force Red experts.
Patch Tuesday - Exploit Wednesday: Pwning Windows Ancillary Function Driver for WinSock (afd.sys) in 24 Hours
Dive into the analysis and exploitation of a vulnerability in the Windows Ancillary Function Driver for Winsock for Local Privilege Escalation on Windows 11. More from X-Force Red experts.
Windows Installer EOP (CVE-2023-21800)
This blog post describes the details and methodology of our research targeting the Windows Installer (MSI) installation technology.
Windows Installer EOP (CVE-2023-21800)
This blog post describes the details and methodology of our research targeting the Windows Installer (MSI) installation technology.
Threat groups are using Windows LNK files to gain access
Microsoft's move last year to block macros by default in Office applications is forcing miscreants to find other tools with which to launch cyberattacks, including the software vendor's LNK files – the shortcuts Windows uses to point to other files.
Threat groups are using Windows LNK files to gain access
Microsoft's move last year to block macros by default in Office applications is forcing miscreants to find other tools with which to launch cyberattacks, including the software vendor's LNK files – the shortcuts Windows uses to point to other files.
Zoom Patches High Risk Flaws on Windows, MacOS Platforms
Video messaging giant Zoom has released patches for multiple security vulnerabilities that expose both Windows and macOS users to malicious hacker attacks.
Zoom Patches High Risk Flaws on Windows, MacOS Platforms
Video messaging giant Zoom has released patches for multiple security vulnerabilities that expose both Windows and macOS users to malicious hacker attacks.
Exploring ZIP Mark-of-the-Web Bypass Vulnerability (CVE-2022-41049)
Windows ZIP extraction bug (CVE-2022-41049) lets attackers craft ZIP files, which evade warnings on attempts to execute packaged files, even if ZIP file was downloaded from the Internet.
Exploring ZIP Mark-of-the-Web Bypass Vulnerability (CVE-2022-41049)
Windows ZIP extraction bug (CVE-2022-41049) lets attackers craft ZIP files, which evade warnings on attempts to execute packaged files, even if ZIP file was downloaded from the Internet.
Abusing windows’ tokens to compromise active directory without touching lsass
During an internal assessment, I performed an NTLM relay and ended up owning the NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM account of the Windows server. Looking at the users connected on the same server, I knew that a domain administrator account was connected. All I had to do to compromise the domain, was compromise the account. This could be achieved by dumping the memory of the LSASS process and collecting their credentials or Kerberos TGT’s. Seemed easy until I realised an EDR was installed on the system. Long story short, I ended up compromising the domain admin account without touching the LSASS process. To do so, I relied on an internal Windows mechanism called token manipulation. The goal of this blog post is to present how I did it. We will see what access tokens are, what they are used for, how we can manipulate them to usurp legitimate accounts without touching LSASS and finally I will present a tool and a CrackMapExec module that can be used during such assessments. All the source code, binaries and CrackMapExec module can be found here https://github.com/sensepost/impersonate.
Abusing windows’ tokens to compromise active directory without touching lsass
During an internal assessment, I performed an NTLM relay and ended up owning the NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM account of the Windows server. Looking at the users connected on the same server, I knew that a domain administrator account was connected. All I had to do to compromise the domain, was compromise the account. This could be achieved by dumping the memory of the LSASS process and collecting their credentials or Kerberos TGT’s. Seemed easy until I realised an EDR was installed on the system. Long story short, I ended up compromising the domain admin account without touching the LSASS process. To do so, I relied on an internal Windows mechanism called token manipulation. The goal of this blog post is to present how I did it. We will see what access tokens are, what they are used for, how we can manipulate them to usurp legitimate accounts without touching LSASS and finally I will present a tool and a CrackMapExec module that can be used during such assessments. All the source code, binaries and CrackMapExec module can be found here https://github.com/sensepost/impersonate.