Malware
Exposed Secrets: Unmasking Data Breaches, Stolen Credentials & Illicit Dark Web Bazaars
Infostealer malware is a significant and often underestimated threat to corporate information security teams. These malicious programs infect computers, steal credentials saved in browsers, along with active session cookies and other data, and send it back to the attacker’s command and control infrastructure. In some cases, the malware even self-terminates after completing its mission.
In this article, we’ll discuss how cybercriminals use stolen credentials to gain unauthorized access to privileged IT infrastructure, leading to data breaches and ransomware attacks. But infostealers aren’t the only threat; leaked credentials from more traditional sources continue to pose substantial risks to organizations.
It’s no secret that people often reuse the same password across multiple applications, creating a perfect opportunity for hackers to brute force their way into software-as-a-service (SaaS) and on-premises applications.
At IT Services, we currently monitor over forty million stealer logs. This number is growing by millions every month, with an expected increase in 2024. Additionally, we monitor over 14 billion leaked credentials found in data dumps across the dark web.
This unique perspective allows us to see firsthand how threat actors acquire, distribute, and use leaked credentials.
Understanding Leaked Credentials
To better comprehend leaked credentials, we can categorize them into tiers based on the method of leakage and the risk they pose to organizations. This approach, pioneered by Jason Haddix, helps security professionals clearly communicate credential leak risks to managers and corporate executives.
Tier 1 Leaked Credentials
Tier 1 leaked credentials result from third-party application or service breaches. When these breaches occur, all users of the affected service have their passwords compromised and distributed in a data dump on the dark web. This is the most common type of leaked credential.
For example, imagine a fictional corporation called Scatterholt with user logins for hundreds of thousands of consumers. If attackers breach Scatterholt and access the identity and access management system, they could steal these credentials and leak them onto the dark web.
Scatterholt could force a password reset for all users, but it’s likely that many users have reused the same password across other services. This leak gives threat actors the opportunity to use brute force techniques to gain access to other applications that share the same password.
Defending Against Tier 1 Leaked Credentials
Organizations can employ several well-researched defenses to reduce risk. First and foremost: monitor a leaked credentials database for corporate employee emails. This single action can make a massive difference as threat actors deliberately target passwords associated with corporate email addresses to facilitate data breaches.
Secondly, require users to routinely reset passwords on a schedule, ensuring that if a specific password is breached, they will have already rotated other corporate credentials.
Finally, we recommend using a password manager with a policy requiring employees to randomize passwords for various applications and store them securely, reducing the risk of employees making only minor changes to passwords.
The Special Case of Combolists
Combolists are collections of credential pairs, organized by service or geographically, used by cybercriminals in combination with brute force tools to attempt to gain access to various services.
Source: IT Services
These credentials often come from previous known breaches, stealer logs, or are entirely fabricated. The exact source is never entirely clear, but the sheer volume of credentials available through combolists, combined with frequent password reuse, makes them a significant attack vector.
Tier 2 Leaked Credentials
Tier 2 leaked credentials pose a unique risk to companies. These credentials are harvested directly from users through infostealer malware that steals all passwords saved in the browser.
We consider tier 2 leaked credentials to be of significantly increased risk to both the company and the user for the following reasons:
- A single stealer log will contain all of the credentials the user saved in their browser. This creates a perfect opportunity for threat actors to socially engineer the victim, the IT help desk, or even the company using the victim’s information.
- These logs contain the plain text username, password, and host for the credentials, often for hundreds of different logins. Threat actors have an enormous advantage when they can see dozens of password variations that the user uses.
- These logs often contain form-fill data with answers to secret questions, which can be effectively used to bypass websites with secret questions.
Source: IT Services
Tier 3 Leaked Credentials
This tier of leaks, also from stealer logs, poses an extreme risk to organizations. Fresh stealer logs often contain active session cookies, which threat actors can easily use for session hijacking attacks. In these attacks, they impersonate the victim and potentially bypass two-factor authentication (2FA) and multi-factor authentication (MFA) controls.
Discovering a fresh stealer log with corporate credentials should immediately prompt an incident investigation, as it’s highly likely that the passwords are working and that threat actors could directly access corporate resources.
Source: IT Services
Defending Against Tier 3 Leaked Credentials
Limit the time-to-live (TTL) for corporate applications to reduce the risk of session cookies remaining valid if distributed as a result of an infostealer infection.
Multi-Factor Authentication Isn’t a Silver Bullet
Not monitoring leaked credentials likely means that many of your employees use single-factor authentication, as their passwords may have been exposed. Many people believe that enabling 2FA is sufficient protection against stolen credentials, but the reality is that threat actors are aware of the obstacle 2FA presents and have developed techniques to overcome it.
Whether through social engineering of employees, using 2FA bots to capture one-time codes/passwords from victims, or even SIM-swapping, there are many ways to bypass MFA controls that are actively used in the wild.
The best defense against these types of attacks involves using authenticator apps, which feature temporary rotating codes instead of one-time passwords received via email or SMS. These applications are usually more secure and ensure that the user controls a second device to some extent.
Concerned about Credentials? We Can Help
IT Services monitors more than 14 billion leaked credentials distributed on the dark web and hundreds of millions leaked through infostealer malware.
Our platform sets up in 30 minutes and provides robust detection for leaked employee credentials across hundreds of forums, channels, and marketplaces.
Sponsored and written by IT Services.
Malware
Massive Data Breach Hits Payment Gateway: 1.7 Million Credit Card Users Impacted
A data breach at Indian payment gateway provider Juspay has exposed the personal information of 17 million credit card owners. The compromised data includes names, email addresses, and phone numbers, putting users at risk of phishing attacks. Juspay has assured customers that full card numbers, order information, and passwords remain secure.
Imagine this: you’re enjoying a lovely dinner at your favorite restaurant, and when it’s time to pay, you hand over your credit card without a second thought. What you don’t know is that a cybercriminal has been lurking in the shadows, just waiting for the opportunity to snatch your personal and credit card information. That’s exactly what happened to nearly 1.7 million individuals when payment gateway provider Slim CD suffered a data breach.
The Slim CD Data Breach: What Happened?
Slim CD is a company that provides payment processing solutions for businesses, allowing them to accept electronic and card payments through various platforms. Unfortunately, hackers were able to access Slim CD’s network for almost a year, from August 2023 to June 2024. The company first detected suspicious activity on June 15, 2024, and during their investigation, they discovered the unauthorized access had begun back in August 2023.
According to the notification sent to the impacted individuals, the threat actor had viewed or obtained access to credit card information for just two days, between June 14th and 15th, 2024. The types of data that may have been accessed include:
- Full name
- Physical address
- Credit card number
- Payment card expiration date
Is Your Credit Card Information Safe?
While the exposed information doesn’t include the card verification number (CVV), there’s still a risk of credit card fraud. Nowadays, cybercriminals have become increasingly sophisticated and may use the stolen information to piece together enough data for fraudulent transactions. It’s important to remain vigilant and monitor your credit card statements for any suspicious activity.
What Can You Do to Protect Yourself?
Slim CD has taken measures to strengthen its security to prevent future incidents like this, but it’s crucial for you to take charge of your own cybersecurity. Here are some steps you can take to stay ahead of cybercriminals:
- Regularly monitor your credit card statements for any unauthorized transactions.
- Report any suspicious activity to your card issuer immediately.
- Be cautious when providing your personal and credit card information online or over the phone.
- Consider using a credit monitoring service for added protection.
Don’t Let Cybercriminals Win: Stay Informed and Protected
As the digital landscape continues to evolve, so do the threats posed by cybercriminals. Staying informed about cybersecurity risks and taking proactive steps to protect your personal information is more important than ever before. We’re here to help you navigate the complex world of cybersecurity and ensure your personal data remains secure.
So, don’t let cybercriminals get the upper hand. Keep coming back to learn more about the latest threats and how you can stay protected in the digital age. Together, we’ll make sure that your personal information stays safe and out of the hands of cybercriminals.
Malware
Massive Avis Data Breach Exposes 299,000+ Customers: Protect Yourself Now
Car rental company Avis has suffered a data breach impacting over 299,000 customers. The compromised information includes names, addresses, and driving license numbers. The breach affected Avis Australia and New Zealand, with the company stating that no financial data has been accessed.
Update: The Avis data breach impacted over 299,000 customers.
Imagine renting a car, expecting a smooth and secure experience, only to find out later that your personal information was exposed in a data breach. That’s precisely what happened to over 299,000 customers of American car rental giant, Avis.
What happened in the Avis data breach?
Unknown attackers managed to breach one of Avis’s business applications last month, stealing some customers’ personal information in the process. According to data breach notification letters sent to impacted customers, Avis took action to stop the unauthorized access, launched an investigation with the help of external cybersecurity experts, and reported the incident to relevant authorities after learning of the breach on August 5.
The investigation revealed that from August 3 to August 6, the attacker accessed Avis’s business applications. The company was able to evict the malicious actor from its systems and block their access on August 6. On August 14, it was discovered that the attacker had stolen some customers’ personal information, including their names and other undisclosed sensitive data.
How many people were affected?
In a separate filing with Maine’s attorney general, it was revealed that the personal information of 299,006 Avis customers was stolen in the breach. This number represents less than 1% of their customer base, but it’s still a significant number of people whose data is now at risk.
What has Avis done since the breach?
Since the breach, Avis has worked with outside experts to strengthen security measures for the affected application and implemented additional safeguards across its systems. The company is also actively reviewing security monitoring and controls to bolster security defenses.
Avis warned customers of identity theft and fraud risks following the data breach, advising them to remain vigilant by regularly reviewing and monitoring their account statements and credit history for any signs of unauthorized transactions or activity. The car rental company also offered those affected a free one-year membership to Equifax’s credit monitoring service, which assists with identity theft detection and resolution.
Why is this important for you?
Data breaches like the one at Avis serve as a reminder of the ever-present risks we face in our increasingly digital world. Cybersecurity is not just a concern for large corporations; it affects all of us. It’s essential to stay informed and take steps to protect our personal information.
As your trusted IT Services provider, we’re here to help you navigate the complex world of cybersecurity. We’ll keep you up to date on the latest threats and offer guidance on how to keep your personal and business information safe. Don’t hesitate to contact us if you have questions or concerns about your cybersecurity or need assistance in protecting your data.
In the meantime, stay vigilant and keep coming back to learn more about the ever-evolving landscape of cybersecurity.
Malware
Avis Reveals Massive Data Breach: Customer Information Compromised in Car Rental Empire
Car rental company Avis recently disclosed a data breach affecting customer data. The breach exposed sensitive information such as names, addresses, and phone numbers. Protect your personal information by staying vigilant and monitoring your accounts for any suspicious activity.
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Did you hear the news? American car rental giant Avis recently informed customers that cybercriminals breached one of its business applications last month and stole some of their personal information.
According to data breach notification letters sent to impacted customers and filed with California’s Office of the Attorney General, Avis took action to stop the unauthorized access and launched an investigation with the help of external cybersecurity experts after learning of the breach on August 5th.
What did the investigation uncover?
The investigation revealed that the attacker had access to Avis’s business application from August 3rd to 6th. The company managed to evict the malicious actor from its systems and blocked its access on August 6th. On August 14th, it also discovered that the attacker stole some customers’ personal information, including their names and other undisclosed sensitive data.
Since the breach, Avis says it has worked with outside experts to strengthen security measures for the affected application and implemented additional safeguards across its systems.
What has Avis done to protect its customers?
Avis has been actively reviewing security monitoring and controls to bolster security defenses and warned customers of identity theft and fraud risks following the data breach. The company advised those whose personal information was stolen to remain vigilant against threats of identity theft or fraud. They suggested customers do this by regularly reviewing and monitoring their account statements and credit history for any signs of unauthorized transactions or activity and contacting credit reporting agencies if they suspect any unauthorized activity.
Moreover, Avis offered those affected a free one-year membership to Equifax’s credit monitoring service, which provides assistance with identity theft detection and resolution.
About Avis and its global presence
Avis is a subsidiary of Avis Budget Group, a leading global mobility solutions provider that also owns Zipcar, the world’s leading car-sharing network. Its Avis and Budget car rental brands operate over 10,000 rental locations in 180 countries across North America, Europe, and Australasia. Avis Budget Group has reported more than $3.0 billion in revenues for the second quarter of 2024.
We reached out to Avis for more information about the attack’s nature, the number of affected customers, and the other personal information stolen in the breach, but the company has not responded yet.
Stay informed and protected
Cybersecurity is more important than ever, and we at IT Services are dedicated to helping you stay informed and protected. We encourage you to keep coming back to learn more about the latest cybersecurity news and trends. Together, we can make the digital world a safer place for everyone. If you have any questions or concerns, don’t hesitate to contact us!
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