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Malware

Exposed Secrets: Unmasking Data Breaches, Stolen Credentials & Illicit Dark Web Bazaars

Published

6 months ago

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Person typing on a keyboard

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.

Screenshot of combolist
Screenshot of combolist
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.

Screenshot of the information stealer logs can contain, including cookies, passwords, and other sensitive information
Screenshot of the information stealer logs can contain, including cookies, passwords, and other sensitive information
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.

Screenshot from Telegram of a malware store
Screenshot from Telegram of a malware store
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.

Check out our free trial.

Sponsored and written by IT Services.

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Malware

Massive Data Breach: 200,000 Individuals’ Information Compromised in 2023 Ransomware Attack

Dallas County, Iowa, experienced a ransomware attack in 2023, resulting in the exposure of data belonging to 200,000 individuals. The breach affected personally identifiable information, including Social Security numbers, names, and addresses. Protect your information from cyber threats with secure passwords and regular software updates.

Published

7 hours ago

on

July 25, 2024

By

Imagine living in a bustling city like Dallas, Texas, the second-largest county in the Lone Star State with over 2.6 million residents. Now, picture over 200,000 of those people receiving a notification about their personal data being exposed to cybercriminals due to the Play ransomware attack in October 2023. It’s a chilling thought, isn’t it?

That’s precisely what happened when the Play ransomware gang added Dallas to its extortion portal on the dark web, threatening to leak data it stole during an attack on its systems, including private documents from various departments. Dallas officials acknowledged the incident a few days later, assuring the public they were reviewing the leaked data when Play published it in early November.

As the leaked data review took a lot of time and people were concerned, Dallas set up a dedicated call center in January 2024. Fast forward to yesterday when Dallas County posted an update about the incident on its website and sent data breach notices to 201,404 impacted individuals, including Dallas residents, employees, and others who interacted with its public services.

The types of data confirmed to have been exposed vary per individual and include the following:

  • Full name

  • Social Security number (SSN)

  • Date of birth

  • Driver’s license

  • State identification number

  • Taxpayer identification number

  • Medical information

  • Health insurance information

Those whose SSNs and taxpayer identification numbers were exposed will receive two years of credit monitoring and identity theft protection services. While these services can help, it’s crucial that everyone takes their cybersecurity seriously.

In response to the breach, Dallas County has implemented several security-strengthening measures on its networks, including deploying Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) solutions across all servers, forcing password resets, and blocking malicious/suspicious IP addresses.

What’s going on with Dallas’ cybersecurity?

Unfortunately, this isn’t the first time Dallas County and the City of Dallas have faced cybersecurity incidents. In November 2023, a Dallas County employee fell victim to a social engineering attack by business email compromise (BEC) scammers and sent a fraudulent payment of $2,400,000.

Earlier in May 2023, the City of Dallas suffered a breach from Royal ransomware, which forced it to take offline parts of its IT infrastructure, including police communications. We learned at the time that Royal was printing ransom notices on the City’s printers, which had fallen under the attackers’ control. It was later established that Royal operators leveraged stolen account credentials to maintain access to the compromised systems between April 7 and May 4, during which they exfiltrated over 1 TB of data.

These incidents serve as a stark reminder that we must all take cybersecurity seriously. It’s not just about protecting our personal information but also about safeguarding the essential services and infrastructure we rely on every day.

Don’t wait for a ransomware attack to happen to you or your community. Contact us to learn more about how we can help you prevent cybersecurity incidents and keep your data safe. And remember, always come back to learn more about the latest cybersecurity news and tips.

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Malware

Massive Data Breach at Advance Auto Parts: 2.3 Million Customers Impacted by Cyber Attack

Advance Auto Parts has suffered a data breach, potentially affecting 2.3 million customers. The exposed data includes names, addresses, email addresses, phone numbers, and payment card information. The company is offering free credit monitoring services to impacted individuals and is working closely with law enforcement and cybersecurity experts to investigate the incident.

Published

1 day ago

on

July 24, 2024

By

Picture yourself driving down the highway, enjoying the freedom of the open road when suddenly, your car starts making strange noises. It’s a nightmare for any driver, but it’s also a situation that millions of people find themselves in every year. When that happens, many turn to Advance Auto Parts for help. Unfortunately, a recent cybersecurity incident has left over 2.3 million people with a new set of worries.

Advance Auto Parts, a leading automotive parts provider with a presence in the United States, Canada, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Mexico, and various Caribbean islands, has recently been hit by a massive data breach. On June 5, 2024, a cybercriminal known as ‘Sp1d3r’ claimed to have stolen a 3TB database containing 380 million customer records, orders, transaction details, and other sensitive information from the company.

While Advance Auto Parts confirmed the breach on June 19, they initially stated that it only impacted current and former employees and job applicants. However, as their internal investigation progressed, it became clear that the number of people affected was much larger than initially thought.

A Widespread Impact

According to the breach notification samples submitted to authorities, unauthorized access to Advance Auto Parts’ Snowflake environment occurred over a month, from April 14, 2024, to May 24, 2024. Ultimately, the breach impacted 2,316,591 million people, including current and former employees, as well as job applicants.

The stolen data included full names, Social Security numbers (SSNs), driver’s licenses, and government ID numbers. The company collects this information as part of its job application process, and the compromised cloud database contained the sensitive data of those affected.

Although the cybercriminal claimed to have stolen 380 million records, the actual number of affected individuals is significantly lower. Additionally, the data types exposed in the breach are not as extensive as what the criminal initially advertised for sale. However, it is still a cause for concern for those impacted by the breach.

Protecting Yourself and Your Data

Advance Auto Parts is offering 12 months of complimentary identity theft protection and credit monitoring services through Experian for those affected by the breach. Individuals have until October 1, 2024, to enroll in these services. The company advises potentially impacted individuals to be vigilant for unsolicited communications, monitor their accounts closely, activate fraud alerts, and consider placing a credit freeze.

We contacted Advance Auto Parts to inquire about customer information exposure, but no comment was immediately available. However, it is essential for everyone to remain vigilant and educate themselves on cybersecurity best practices. This incident is a reminder that we must all take cybersecurity seriously and do everything we can to protect our personal information.

Stay Informed and Stay Safe

As cybersecurity experts, we understand the importance of staying informed about the latest threats and best practices for safeguarding your data. That’s why we encourage you to reach out to us and keep coming back to learn more about how to protect yourself and your information in this ever-evolving digital world. Remember, knowledge is power, and staying informed is the first step in keeping your data secure.

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Malware

Fujitsu Admits Massive Customer Data Breach During March Cyberattack: Protect Your Information

Fujitsu has confirmed customer data exposure during a March cyberattack on its ProjectWEB platform. The Japanese tech giant is investigating the incident, which may have exposed sensitive corporate data, and has temporarily suspended the platform.

Published

2 days ago

on

July 23, 2024

By

Information related to some individuals and customers’ business was compromised during a data breach detected earlier this year at Fujitsu, the Japanese tech giant. The attack did not involve ransomware, instead relying on a sophisticated mechanism to evade detection while exfiltrating data.

In March, Fujitsu discovered that several of its systems had been infected with malware and noted the possibility of sensitive customer information being compromised.

The company isolated the impacted computers and started an investigation with the help of external experts to determine the scope of the breach.

Investigation results

Fujitsu has now concluded its investigation into the incident and confirms that data was stolen by malware that pivoted from a single point of compromise to 49 computers.

“After malware was placed on one of our business computers, it was observed spreading to other business computers,” the company explains.

“This malware is not ransomware but employs sophisticated techniques to disguise itself, making detection difficult. It was determined to be a highly advanced attack” – Fujitsu

Fujitsu says the 49 infected computers were isolated immediately after the discovery of the attack and the malware was contained to the Japan-based network environment.

The company says that “commands to copy files were executed due to the behavior of the malware.” For this reason, Fujitsu notes that there is the possibility for the data to have been exfiltrated.

“The files that were able to be copied contained personal information of some individuals and information related to the business of customers,” the company explains.

So far, Fujitsu has not received any reports that the compromised data has been misused.

After analyzing the malware and the incident, Fujitsu implemented security monitoring rules for all business computers in the company and updated the malware detection solution to prevent similar attacks.

Take action to protect yourself

Incidents like this are a stark reminder of the importance of strong cybersecurity measures. No matter the size of your business, a single data breach can have severe consequences. Don’t wait until it’s too late to take action and protect your sensitive information.

Our IT Services team is here to help. We provide expert guidance and advice on cybersecurity best practices, helping you stay one step ahead of potential threats. Learn more about how we can help you safeguard your critical data and your business as a whole.

Contact us today to discuss your cybersecurity needs, and remember to keep coming back to our website for the latest news and insights on cybersecurity.

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