Shaun Nichols

Oakland

Senior Content Editor at CyberRisk Alliance

Writer with @scmagazine formerly @SearchSecurity @LBNLcs, @theregister and some departed publications. He/him. After-hours (possibly NSFW): @ShaunIsntFunny

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Articles

Google warns of Russian hackers ColdRiver wielding new malware tools

5 days ago | scworld.com | Shaun Nichols

A known Russian cybercrime outfit has armed itself with a new malware suite that allows for the theft of user accounts and credentials, posing a substantial threat to organizations in the West. The group known as "ColdRiver" has been spotted in the wild using a previously unknown piece of data-stealing malware designated as “LostKeys.” According to the Google Threat Intelligence Group (GTIG) the malware is able to covertly swipe credentials for specific services from target machines.
Attacks surge against antiquated routers, FBI warns

5 days ago | scworld.com | Shaun Nichols

Threat actors are looking to prey on antiquated routers meeting the end of life their life and patch support cycle, according to an alert from the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI), which said it has seen a surge in attacks against antiquated network gear that no longer receives regular security updates. The FBI alert said renewed activity against vulnerable routers were observed that have not been updated in some time.
North Korean hackers show telltale signs, researchers say

6 days ago | scworld.com | Shaun Nichols

North Korean threat actors are leaving some telltale signs that could allow network defenders to spot and block malicious activity. Researchers with security firm ReliaQuest found that, in many cases, groups working out of the Hermit Kingdom tend to give away their intentions with a series of common blunders and activity patterns.
Massive cybercrime operation traced back to Myanmar warlord

1 week ago | scworld.com | Shaun Nichols

An international cybercrime operation was traced back to an unlikely source: a warlord controlling a remote part of Myanmar. The U.S. Department of Treasury said it believed Saw Chit Thu and his sons Saw Htoo Eh Moo and Saw Chit Chi were using their control over the Karen region of Myanmar bordering Thailand to operate a hub for fraud and cybercrime activities.
Malware scammers target HR professionals with Venom Spider malware

1 week ago | scworld.com | Shaun Nichols

Threat actors are targeting organizations by disguising their malware payloads as resume submissions to human resources (HR) departments. The team at Arctic Wolf reported that a privately-run malware operation known as Venom Spider has been targeting HR professionals by way of phony resume submissions and fake personal websites pretending to be job seekers.
Hacker pleads guilty to orchestrating Disney data heist

1 week ago | scworld.com | Shaun Nichols

A California man agreed to plead guilty to two criminal charges related to a leak at the Disney company that resulted in more than a terabyte of confidential files and communications logs being exposed. The Department of Justice announced that Ryan Kramer of Santa Clarita, California, compromised an employee workstation and then leveraged those stolen credentials to gain access to further systems within the children’s entertainment empire.
State-sponsored ‘hacktivist’ activity poised to have a banner year

1 week ago | scworld.com | Shaun Nichols

Though they may have been out of the headlines in recent years, hacktivist groups that operate in alliance with nation-state interests are as active as ever, and the coming year could see attacks reach new heights. Security vendor Forescout reported that since 2022 it has seen hacktivist groups acting on apparent behalf of government operations and policies, seemingly coordinating their activities within government intelligence agencies.
VeriSource cops to 4 million accounts lost in 2024 data breach

2 weeks ago | scworld.com | Shaun Nichols

VeriSource confirmed that the personal information of at least four million people was taken in a February 2024 data breach. The company said in a statement that a threat actor breached its network and accessed the personal data of employees and dependents that were on its VSI services platform. VeriSource and its parent company VSI provide HR management platforms for organizations, including employee benefit programs.
RSA 2025: Reckless Rabbit scams hop into wallets with investment fraud

2 weeks ago | scworld.com | Shaun Nichols

A pair of cyberfraud scams were uncovered using social-engineering tactics to trick victims into handing over sensitive data under the guise of an investment plan. Known as “Reckless Rabbit” and “Ruthless Rabbit,” the campaigns offer users the lure of lucrative financial rewards in exchange for handing over their personal information and performing money transfers on behalf of the threat actors.
Hackers exploiting vulnerabilities at higher rates, reports Verizon

3 weeks ago | scworld.com | Shaun Nichols

Threat actors are opting for code exploitation at an increasing rate as credential theft is becoming less popular as a means of intrusion. Verizon’s latest Data Breach Investigation Report (DBIR) found that 1 in 5 breaches were the result of an exploit script against an exposed security vulnerability. By comparison, 22% of exploits were the result of stolen credentials and 16% were blamed on phishing campaigns.