Cisco Talos Blog

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February 15, 2024 14:00

Why the toothbrush DDoS story fooled us all

There was about a 24-hour period where many news outlets reported on a reported DDoS attack that involved a botnet made up of thousands of internet-connected toothbrushes.

February 15, 2024 08:00

TinyTurla Next Generation - Turla APT spies on Polish NGOs

This new backdoor we’re calling “TinyTurla-NG” (TTNG) is similar to Turla’s previously disclosed implant, TinyTurla, in coding style and functionality implementation.

February 14, 2024 08:00

How are attackers using QR codes in phishing emails and lure documents?

QR code attacks are particularly dangerous because they move the attack vector off a protected computer and onto the target’s personal mobile device, which usually has fewer security protections in place and ultimately has the sensitive information that attackers are after.

February 13, 2024 13:59

First Microsoft Patch Tuesday zero-day of 2024 disclosed as part of group of 75 vulnerabilities

Although considered of moderate risk, one of the vulnerabilities is being actively exploited in the wild — CVE-2024-21351, a security feature bypass vulnerability in Windows SmartScreen.

February 8, 2024 14:00

Spyware isn’t going anywhere, and neither are its tactics

For their part, the U.S. did roll out new restrictions on the visas of any foreign individuals who misuse commercial spyware.

February 8, 2024 08:00

New Zardoor backdoor used in long-term cyber espionage operation targeting an Islamic organization

Talos discovered a new, stealthy espionage campaign that has likely persisted since at least March 2021. The observed activity affects an Islamic non-profit organization using backdoors for a previously unreported malware family we have named “Zardoor.”

February 6, 2024 03:30

How are user credentials stolen and used by threat actors?

You’ve probably heard the phrase, “Attackers don’t hack anyone these days. They log on.” In this blog, we describe the various tools and techniques bad actors are using to steal credentials so they can 'log on' with valid account details, and outline our recommendations for defense.

February 1, 2024 14:00

The many ways electric cars are vulnerable to hacks, and whether that matters in a real-world

Researchers recently discovered 49 zero-day vulnerabilities, including a two-vulnerability exploit chain in Tesla cars that could allow an attacker to take over the onboard infotainment system.

January 31, 2024 12:00

OAS Engine Deep Dive: Abusing low-impact vulnerabilities to escalate privileges

Open Automation Software recently released patches for multiple vulnerabilities in their OAS Engine.  Cisco Talos publicly disclosed these issues after working with Open Automation Software to ensure that patches were available for users. Now that a fix has been released with Ve